By M. Neywon Mengonfia, mmenginfia@gmail.com
Liberian Women have joined their counterpart across the world in commemoration of ‘International Women’s Day’, a day set aside to celebrate women for their contributions to society.
Every year, the 8th of March is set aside to recognize the efforts of women across the world at which time they organize conferences in various parts of the world to discuss issues about themselves.
The United States is one of the places women converge in a joint conference for such celebration, but the outbreak of the COVID-19 has disadvantaged them from voyaging to the United States and other parts of the world in commemorating the day.
Notwithstanding, celebration of the day has not gone unnoticed, as many other institutions in Liberia have organized program befitting the celebration.
One of such institution is AfricaRice, with offices in Bong, Central Liberia, the Ministry of Gender & Children Protection, the office of the First Lady of Liberia through her organization ‘She You’ and other international partners to the country.
During a well-organized International Women’s Day program at the EU funded DeSIRA project site by AfricaRice and WorldFish, Rev. Myrian Omokey Moses said, “As women, our contribution and commitment to making the world a better place cease when the world ends and that equal opportunities had always existed.”
According to the guest speaker at the event, it is up to women to take hold of opportunities provided them and match them up with equal productivities that will enable eye-catching outputs.
He indicated that women are people who impact the world in different ways and as such, they should be celebrated in what she called “a progressive world.”
She told women who have gone for the program that they as women have lots of potentials that can be used to change the world into a better place.
The day was marked by celebrations organized in various quarters of the country by various groupings including the Ministry of Gender Children Protection, AfricaRice, the first Lady of Liberia, partners to the government and people of Liberia.
The women centered and organized program was mostly graced by women that have been working with the EU funded DeSIRA Integrated Rice and Fish Farming System project that is being implemented by AfricaRice and WorldFish.
At the event, women who dedicated their time to work with AfricaRice and WorldFish during the heat of the Coronavirus Pandemic were provided Parboiled Rice produced and packaged by the project and a rice thrasher machine to enable them produce their own parboil rice.
The women who have organized themselves into cooperatives named “War Survival women cooperative” were awarded with token to empower themselves as women.
Speaking during the IWD program, AfricaRice and project representative of the EU funded DeSIRA Integrated Rice Fish Farming System project Dr. Inoussa Akintayo stated that AfricaRice and WorldFish is committed to doing more to empower women.
Dr. Akintayo he believes that women empowerment will assure an improve economic status for the Liberian society.
The AfricanRice Boss assured the participants to celebrating the day every day in a grand style women as long as he is country representative of AfricaRice.
During their various celebrations, they recognized the works being done by women of Liberia and the level they have achieved.