PHOTO: Ms. Richelle M. Allison (2nd from right) and her colleagues pose for
picture with NED and UN Women officials recently
Five years ago, whilst still a secondary school student at the Isaac A David Memorial School in Monrovia in 2017, Ms. Richelle M. Allison was denied the opportunity to travel to Ghana to participate in an International Peace Camp, which was organized by PeaceJam Ghana. Despite the fact that she had secured her air ticket and passport, her father stepped in at the last minute to deny her this experience, simply because her grades were not satisfactory.
However, young Richelle refused to allow this disappointment to define her future. She went on to graduate from the St. Peter’s Lutheran School and subsequently matriculated to the AME University, where she is presently a sophomore student, majoring in Mass Communication.
Ms. Richelle M. Allison (2nd from right) and her colleagues pose for photo with NED and UN Women officials recently
In 2022, at the age of 21, and owing largely to the increase in the number of rape cases in Liberia and her own personal experience, growing up as a child seeking refuge with her family in neighboring Sierra Leone, where she spent eight years of her childhood, she decided to engage other like-minded young women in her university and community, including Ms. Majubah Horton, a graduating senior studying sociology at the AME University, Mrs. Harriet Zoyah, a graduate of the AME University, Ms. Omu Marrah, an engineering student at the Stella Maria University, Ms. Nyonbleh Martina Fanciah, a broadcast journalist from Rivercess, 18 year old Shania Conteh, a Senior Secondary student at St Michael Catholic School, her younger sister, Rachelle, amongst other, about the need to come together and establish a platform to promote the rights of young women and get them involved in working to ensure their own protection, development and survival. The end result was the creation of Young Women’s Action for Rights, Peace and Development (YWARPD). Today, YWARPD is serving as a major catalyst for young women’s participation in Liberia.
Few weeks ago, the organization decided to embark upon an innovative and ambitious program to plant 5000 trees across Liberia in 2023. According to Richelle, the Tree Planting Initiative is her organization’s response to environmental degradation in Liberia. She disclosed that they intend to plant 5000 trees across Liberia in 2023 and will reach out to each county. The Tree Planting Program was launched on 9 March in Monrovia with the planting of the first batch of trees by representatives from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) UN women and the European Union. She commended the Managing Director of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) Mr. C. Mike Doryen, the management of Aqua life, her Uncle, Christian Allison of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Mr. Adeola Ojeniyi of the United Kingdom, and her mentor, Ms. Julia Boyle, a Canadian, who is serving as a member of the Board of YWARPD, for their support to the initiative. She disclosed that the tree planting campaign will continue across the country on June 5, 2023, which will be celebrated as World Environment Day. She disclosed that she takes her inspiration from the Nobel peace winners, Wangari Maathai of Kenya, Leeman Gbowee and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and the young Swedish Environmentalist, Greta Thunberg.
YWARPD is also working to undertake a Young Democrats Project for first time voters in Liberia in 2023. This project is designed to serve as a political mobilization platform for first time voters to actively participate in the pending 2023 elections and to also serve as catalysts for democracy values in their communities. The project activities will be carried out in the 17 Electoral Districts of Montserrado County and will include a Civil Education Campaign for first time voters in the 17 electoral districts of Montserrado County, a first time Voter Debate/Town Hall Meetings for representative’s aspirants in each district, First Time Voters Democracy Summit, first time voter observation teams and engagements between first time voters and political parties. She said that the project grew from the felt desire by YWARPD to contribute to the success of the election, as majority of her team, including herself, are first time voters.
Already, to ensure the success of the project, Richelle and her team had already met with the Program Team of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), including The Director of Africa, Mr. Dave Peterson and the Program Officer of Africa, Dr. Jude Mutah. The meeting provided the forum for YWARPD to engage NED about the need to fund the program. At the end of the meeting, NED committed itself to support the project. Recently, YWARPD also met with Ms. Tsega Gebremeskel, Program Lead for Women Political Participation at UN Women and a representative of the British Embassy in Monrovia
Over the last few weeks, Richelle has been overwhelmed with a number of interviews from local journalists who are anxious to know about the work of her organization and noted that her organization will also focus on advocating for the rights of children across Liberia. According to her “what a young man can do a young woman can equally do”
Five years ago, she was denied the opportunity to travel abroad due to her poor grades and today she leads a vibrant young women group determined to leave the stands as spectators and jump on the pitch as players to transform their society. She described her initial setback as an opportunity to spur her into action and prove her parents wrong.