Cybastion, a technology company, and Liberia's Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection have partnered to launch the Liberia Women's Digital and Economic Empowerment Program. The program aims to provide women with digital skills, entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and business development support. The agreement was signed in New York by Cybastion CEO Dr. Thierry Wandji Ketchiozo and Liberia's Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Gbeme Horace Kollie.
The initiative will establish five innovation hubs across Liberia, including a flagship campus in Monrovia and four regional sites in Voinjama, Gbarnga, Kakata, and Buchanan. Each hub will provide women with access to digital skills, entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and business development support. The program is designed to help women strengthen their business management skills, reach new markets, connect with financial services, and participate more effectively in wider supply chains.
The program will be delivered in partnership with Cisco, through Cybastion's philanthropic organization, Theya Foundation. Cisco's Executive Vice President and Chief People, Policy and Purpose Officer, Francine Katsoudas, joined the signing ceremony and highlighted the potential of the partnership to broaden access to digital skills and entrepreneurship opportunities for Liberian women.
A key component of the initiative is the inclusion of childcare facilities at each of the five planned campuses. This will enable mothers with young children to participate in training, mentorship, and business development activities while their children are cared for nearby. The approach seeks to address a practical barrier that can prevent mothers from participating fully in education, skills development, and entrepreneurship programs.
The agreement comes as Liberia places greater emphasis on women's economic empowerment and participation in national development. Minister Horace Kollie has recently highlighted economic empowerment, social protection, and resilience among the broader priorities of the government's agenda for women. The initiative adds to Cybastion's growing engagement in Africa around digital transformation, technology capacity, and skills development.
The signing took place against the backdrop of expanding U.S.-Africa commercial and technology engagement. The Corporate Council on Africa, which hosted the Trade and Investment Roundtable, works to strengthen commercial relations between the United States and African countries, with ICT and cybersecurity among its principal program areas. Once developed, the five hubs are expected to give women entrepreneurs in Monrovia and four regional centers access to a combination of technology training, business development, mentorship, and childcare support.
The Liberia Women's Digital and Economic Empowerment Program is expected to create pathways for women to build stronger businesses and participate more fully in Liberia's digital economy. The program will provide women with the skills and support needed to succeed in business, and will help to promote economic empowerment and social protection for women in Liberia.
Key points
- Cybastion and Liberia's Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection have partnered to establish five technology and business innovation hubs across Liberia.
- The program will provide women with digital skills, entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and business development support.
- The initiative includes the establishment of childcare facilities at each of the five planned campuses.
