PHOTO: Ms. Richelle Marcella Allison, head of the organization
A Local girl empowerment organization, Young Women’s Action for Rights, Peace and Development (YWARPD) has embarked on an ambitious project to plant more than 5,000 trees across Liberia in 2023.
According to Ms. Richelle Marcella Allison, Executive Director of the organization, the theme of the program is, “Plant a Tree, Save the Environment” and it is intended to help address the impact of deforestation and land degradation in Liberia.
She disclosed that the program will also help students, youth, including local communities understand the environmental and natural resource benefits that are accrued from tree planting as well as build the capacity of a pool of young people and local communities to lead tree planting efforts as well as finding nature-based solution options to save the environment.
As part of the program, YWARP will be working with schools and communities across Liberia to adopt a tree and save a life. YWARPD will also seek technical support from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and the United National Environmental Program (UNEP).
Meanwhile, the program is expected to be formally launched on March 8, 2023 as part of the celebration of the International Women’s day. It will include a Walk for the Environment and the planting of trees along the Japanese Freeway.
YWARPD was founded by young women from different universities across Liberia to foster their participation in issues affecting the growth, development and survival, a press release from the organization said.
Ms. Allison is a second=year student at the AME University where she is reading mass communication.