VOA Community, Robertfield Highway, Liberia — October 12, 2026
The World Bank’s Practice Manager for Social Protection and Labor in the West Africa Region Robert Chase, on Monday, October 12, 2026, visited beneficiaries of the Support to Small Businesses (SSB) component of the Recovery of Economic Activity for Liberian Informal Sector Employment (REALISE) Project in the VOA Community along the Robert field Highway.
The visit provided an opportunity to engage directly with beneficiaries, hear their experiences, and assess how the business grants have contributed to the recovery and growth of their enterprises.
Mr. Chase was accompanied by a team from the REALISE Project Management Team (PMT), led by Project Coordinator Jesse Bengu. Other members of the delegation included Aurelius Butler, National Coordinator for Social Protection; Anita Marshall, Deputy Project Coordinator for Economic Inclusion; Shadrach Gbokie, Deputy Project Coordinator for Social Assistance; and Henry Sumo, Communications Officer.
During the visit, the delegation interacted with beneficiaries who received financial support under Round Two of the SSB component in 2023 and 2024. The beneficiaries shared testimonies about how the grants have helped them establish new businesses, expand existing enterprises, and strengthen their livelihoods following the economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the SSB component, eligible beneficiaries received a grant of US$900 each to establish or expand small businesses affected by the pandemic. The intervention was designed to help vulnerable entrepreneurs in the informal sector restore their sources of income, rebuild their economic activities, and improve their capacity to support themselves and their families.
The visit allowed Mr. Chase and the REALISE team to gain firsthand insight into the experiences of participating entrepreneurs and the practical impact of the support provided. By listening directly to beneficiaries, the delegation was able to appreciate the efforts many small business owners have made to sustain their enterprises and put the grants to productive use.
Expressing delight at the progress demonstrated by the beneficiaries, Mr. Chase commended the REALISE Project team for its hard work and dedication to implementing the intervention.
“It is encouraging to see how beneficiaries are using the support provided through the REALISE Project to sustain and grow their businesses. I commend the project team for its hard work and the beneficiaries for maintaining their businesses and making productive use of the grants. These efforts demonstrate the importance of supporting vulnerable entrepreneurs to strengthen their livelihoods.” He said
He also praised the beneficiaries for maintaining their businesses and making productive use of the grants they received.
His remarks underscored the importance of sustained engagement with beneficiaries to understand the results of development interventions and ensure that project support translates into meaningful economic opportunities for vulnerable households. Mr. Chase was accompanied by the outgoing Task Team leader of the REALISE Project Alessandra Heinemann and incoming Task Team leader Laura Campbell.
The SSB component has reached its target of 4,450 beneficiaries across Montserrado and Margibi Counties, marking the achievement of its planned outreach target. Through this intervention, the REALISE Project has supported small business owners with resources to establish or strengthen their enterprises and pursue greater economic stability.
The achievement represents an important milestone in the project’s broader efforts to expand access to income-earning opportunities among vulnerable people working in Liberia’s informal sector.
One of the beneficiaries Justina Kiazolu said, “The support we received through the REALISE Project has given us an opportunity to strengthen our businesses and improve our livelihoods. We are grateful to the Government of Liberia and the World Bank for this assistance. The visit is encouraging because it gives us the opportunity to share our experiences and show how the grant is helping us sustain our businesses.”
The REALISE Project is a Government of Liberia initiative supported by the World Bank and implemented through the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS), the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP), and the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE).
The project seeks to increase access to income-earning opportunities for vulnerable informal sector workers affected by crises, expand livelihood support for poor and food-insecure households, and strengthen the efficiency of Liberia’s social protection programs.
The visit to the VOA Community reaffirmed the importance of direct engagement with beneficiaries in documenting results, recognizing progress, and understanding how targeted financial support can help small businesses recover, grow, and contribute to the livelihoods of families and communities.
