PHOTO: Rep. Gahr during the launch
By Moses M. Tokpah, mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
KAKATA, Liberia- In continuation of his L$8m micro loan scheme, the Representative of electoral district #5 in Margibi County, Clarence G. Gahr launched one million Liberian dollars (L$1m) loan for a number of market women in Dennis Farm Community, Borlorla Township.
In Liberia, the exchange rate is currently hovering between 70-72 Liberian dollars to one United State dollar.
The ceremony brought together the commissioners of Gibi District and Borlola Township, local chiefs, elders, youths, women leaders, and religious leaders amongst others.
During the launching ceremony last week (Thursday April 8, 2021), the Lawmaker presented seven hundred thousand Liberian dollars (L$700,000) to two communities.
The women of Perkin’s Town received L$500,000 while the women of Dennis Farm Community received L$200,000 as the remaining L$300,000 will be presented to the women of B.K.T. soon.
The Lawmaker making the presentation said the loan scheme is in fulfillment of his commitment to the people of the District during the 2017 Campaign.
According to Rep. Gahr, in 2017 he campaigned on four basic platforms including road connectivity, micro-loan for women and women empowerment, education through scholarship and the construction of school buildings where necessary as well as the operation of mobile clinic respectively.
He said the loan is phase two of the eight million Liberian dollars micro-loan Project he launched in 2018 in Weala and provided L$1m for women of the area.
Rep. Gahr revealed that the expected impact of the micro loan Project is to ensure that people who are involved into petty trading improve their businesses in order to make ends meet for their families.
“So if the person is making five thousand and making five hundred profit in a week, if they are added by five thousand it means automatically they will make one thousand,” Rep. Gahr said.
Additionally, he said the impact it will make is that it will better the livelihood of the children of the beneficiaries while they will make a contribution to the wellbeing of their family”.
He recalled that the loan scheme is his personal initiative adding that he was given the confidence and hope of the people and as a leader he has to make some sacrifices from his little earning.
The Representative said the loan is given to the women with no interest rate, but encouraged them to multiply what is being given them.
He informed them that any women group that will return with the amount given them in the period of one year with a trigger down effect on them, it will be double and given back to them.
“Like we made commitment to them, we are giving you this one million dollar but if you produce this one million dollar in one year and have a trigger down effect on the members, we will double it, then that shows that what they told me during the campaign and what I promise to you that I lived up to it” he intimated.
Meanwhile, the leaderships of the two communities assured the Representative that the amounts given them will be used for the intended purpose.
They promised to report the amounts given them as been challenged by their district Representative.
Also speaking, the Commissioners of Gibi District and Borlorla Township, Obediah Lugar and James Weetor in separate remarks lauded the Representative for empowering the women.
The two Commissioners at the same time admonished the women to use the cash given them wisely.