MONROVIA, 24 January (IRIN) - The
United States Government through the US Agency for International Development
(USAID) on Wednesday launched a five-year peace building and development
program which targets 700,000 Liberians in 600 communities.
United States Ambassador to Liberia,
John Blaney said the US $12 million project which is titled "Diompilor"
meaning "oneness" in the Liberian Kissi language, would help
Liberians create peace and prosperity for themselves and strengthen the
civil society.
Another goal of the project is to help Liberians at the grassroots to participate more fully and strategically in initiating and managing their own social economic development activities and effectively preventing and resolving conflicts at the community level.
Blaney said the project would also strengthen the capacity of 20 Non-governmental organizations and train Liberian community based facilitators who will promote literacy, conflict management and participatory development process.
The project will be monitored by USAID and implemented by partners such as the Search for Common Ground - a media peace building and advocacy group and Mercy Corps, an American international NGO. It will initially be implemented in the three counties of Margibi, Grand Bassa and Montserrado.
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