WHAT WE DO
HOW WE WORK AND ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITIES
Community based and participatory approach
LiRWOCA primary target groups as well as main stakeholders are the communities that we have chosen to work with. From the inception of ideas to the implementation and evaluation we ensure that the communities are engaged in a meaningful way in order to safeguard ownership and enhance sustainability of the project impact. We are committed to helping people build on the resources readily available in order to bring about positive changes.
LiRWOCA believes that everybody has a right to participate in decision-making be it at household level, in the district planning processes or using constitutional rights to participate in elections. We are aware that cultural norms, values and practices in many communities in Liberia do place gender specific constraints which particularly limit women’s participation in decision making and development processes. In this regard LiRWOCA places special attention to women’s participation as the key-holders to sustainable development
Holistic approach
LiRWOCA emphasizes the links between environmental degradation, human rights abuse, and poverty. An environmental problem cannot be solved successfully without analyzing and addressing these links. This encompasses issues of land rights, who owns and decides on the use of natural assets, of gender equality, who in the family has decisive powers over the family’s resources, and of democracy, how people can participate in decision-making that influences their livelihoods and their environment. As a result of this approach all implementations are designed to address these links either as direct interventions by LiRWOCA or through some of our networking partners
Advocacy & Awareness
Awareness on the Preservation and conservation of Mangroves Management in 3 communities.
Community Engagement
Community entry and engagement sessions aimed at involving the community at every stage.
Women Savings Groups
Training and activities of the village saving Loan Associations (VSLA) which includes 4 different groups from the 3 communities that comprises of 82 persons in total.
Mangrove Tree Nursery
LiRWOCA engages the community in restoration, preservation and management of mangrove trees. Over 15,000 seedlings planted by 3 communities.
Eco-Friendly Agriculture
As part of environmental conservation LiRWOCA has worked holistically to enhance and increase agricultural production through the promotion of organic farming and climate change adaptation, bee keeping, seed banking, slow food farming, gender value chain and improved farming methods. Promotion of tree-planting especially mangroves and short-term tree nurseries both at household level and at community level through participatory forest management has been another way of carrying out the mission of LiRWOCA. In drought areas LiRWOCA has promoted drip irrigation and planting drought resistant crops. In fighting erosion at the edge of the sea, LiRWOCA has promoted mangrove and weed farming as a means of addressing environmental degradation and a wealth creation to resource poor farmers.
Development Projects
LiRWOCA has a strong track record of implementing development projects aiming at improving environmental conservation and enhancing an equitable sharing of those natural resources most people in Montserrado County depend on for their livelihoods. Focus has been on integrating human rights issues with a gender perspective since issues of land and inheritance rights are critical for women to benefit equally and participate fully in community affairs.