Cestos City, Rivercess County – The Youth Coordinator of the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Rivercess County, Mr. Togar Christian Chea, is taking bold steps to revive youth engagement in the county through a targeted house-to-house awareness campaign aimed at increasing participation in the Adolescent for Action Development Program.
The initiative, according to Mr. Chea, is designed to empower out-of-school youth with practical, employable skills in areas such as basic computer literacy, soap making, and hairdressing—all offered free of charge.
But despite the potential benefits, the program has so far recorded low turnout, a situation Mr. Chea attributes to what he described as “the Liberian way”—a common tendency among the public to disregard or undervalue free opportunities.
“Programs like these are critical in shaping the future of our young people, especially those who are not in school. But we’re seeing reluctance among the very people these services are meant to help,” Chea told Verity News. “That’s why I am launching a house-to-house awareness campaign to engage young people directly in their communities and help them understand the value of this opportunity.”
The campaign will see Mr. Chea and his team moving from household to household across various towns and villages in Rivercess County, explaining the benefits of the Adolescent for Action Development Program and encouraging young people to enroll.
In a bid to further strengthen youth empowerment in the county, Chea also disclosed that plans are underway to help community-based youth groups gain official recognition from the Ministry of Youth and Sports. He said that many local youth organizations are currently operating informally and as such, lack the documentation required to access institutional support and development opportunities.
“We’re working to assist these youth groups in getting properly registered,” Chea stated. “That includes securing business registration, articles of incorporation, and operational licenses. Once these groups are recognized legally, it opens doors for grants, training, and other forms of support from both government and international partners.”
Mr. Chea further revealed that his office is in discussions with the Rivercess County Superintendent’s office to resolve the long-standing leadership vacuum within the Rivercess Youth League.
According to him, the absence of a functional leadership structure has hindered the League’s ability to effectively coordinate youth activities across the county.
He strongly criticized the common practice of appointing youth leaders through national-level institutions like the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), describing it as undemocratic and unrepresentative of the grassroots youth population.
“It’s time we move away from appointments and return to a system of free, fair, and transparent elections—from the district level all the way to the county level,” Chea asserted. “When young people are given the power to elect their own leaders, they develop a sense of ownership and responsibility, which is key to sustaining youth development efforts.”
Mr. Chea concluded by calling on community leaders, parents, and other stakeholders in Rivercess to support the efforts of the Ministry in fostering a stronger, more empowered youth population. He emphasized that youth development is not the responsibility of the government alone, but a collective effort that must involve every sector of society.
