12/10/2026
OCTOBER 8, 2026
MGCSP Announces LWEP Grant Readiness Training in River Cess and Grand Gedeh
MONROVIA, LIBERIA - The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP), through the Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP), will roll out grant readiness training from 8 to 29 October 2026 for 2,033 participants representing 1,313 women-led enterprises in River Cess and Grand Gedeh counties.
Under LWEP Sub-component 3A, Capacity Building of Resilient Livelihood Groups, the Foundation for Community Initiatives (FCI) will facilitate the pre-award training with support from Plan International Liberia, the Lead Service Provider, and Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Staff from MGCSP and the Ministry of Agriculture will also support the training and monitoring.
The training will run simultaneously across the two counties. River Cess will target 847 participants from 589 enterprises across 24 clusters, with sessions scheduled from 8 to 24 October. Grand Gedeh will target 1,186 participants from 724 enterprises across 30 clusters, with sessions scheduled from 8 to 29 October. Each cluster will receive two days of practical training using the CRS SMART Skills 2.0 materials.
The 1,313 participating enterprises comprise 230 Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), 1,073 Individual Enterprises (IEs), eight Farm-based Organizations (FBOs) and two Livelihood Groups (LGs). The activity will help these grant applicants build the skills and documentation needed for grant readiness.
Sessions will cover financial literacy, savings management, record-keeping, business management and group dynamics. Participants will learn about the grant management cycle, including grant amounts, payment tranches and milestones. Training will also address environmental and social safeguards, gender-sensitive and transformative approaches, good agricultural practices and climate resilience.
Alongside the sessions, facilitators will provide hands-on guidance on business registration, articles of incorporation, by-laws and constitutions. Interactive discussions, group activities and practical exercises will help participants apply the lessons to their enterprises. Follow-up mentoring and monitoring will reinforce learning and support income generation.
Through this activity, MGCSP aims to strengthen the capacity of women-led enterprises to manage savings and business records, understand grant requirements and apply safeguards. These skills will support their preparation for grant disbursement and the development of more resilient livelihoods.
About the Liberia Women Empowerment Project
The Liberia Women Empowerment Project is a Government of Liberia initiative implemented by MGCSP with financing support from the World Bank. It operates in Bomi, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Montserrado and River Cess to address harmful social norms, expand access to livelihoods and services, and strengthen institutions that promote gender equality.
Media Contact
LWEP Communications and Community Engagement Unit
Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection
Ministerial Complex, Congo Town, Monrovia, Liberia
