MONROVIA – Youth and Sports Minister, Etmonia David Tarpeh, has reiterated her ministry’s commitment to engaging the youth in constructive endeavors and helping to provide opportunities for their participation in nation building.
Tarpeh gave the assurance Thursday after a meeting with senior staff of the ministry, who had gathered to review the agency’s achievements during the past year and appraise its implementation plans for 2010.
In line with its deliverables against the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS), the ministry provided US$300,000 in subsidies to seven national youth organizations to assist in developing their organizational and program implementation capacities; facilitated the re-organization of the Liberia National Student Union to hold its first congress in 20 years; and hosted a three-day regional youth voluntary program conference to strategize for the establishment of youth service schemes throughout the Mano River region.
At the same time, the ministry, in collaboration with UNDP, established the National Volunteers for Peace program, which trained and deployed 30 youth in the 15 counties as animators for conflict resolution, implementing activities that consolidate peace; and held a three-day technical vocational education and training (TVET) conference, along with the National Working Group on TVET that established a mechanism for the adoption of a national TVET policy.
Other major achievements by the ministry in 2009 included the training and deployment of a second batch of 121 youth to participate in the National Youth Volunteer Service (NYVS), bringing to 188 the number of youth who have served in the program since its establishment in 2008; the training of more than 600 youth in various vocational disciplines; the employment of 5,580 youth, who participated in the ministry’s vacation job program; the establishment, along with UNFPA, of an adolescent girls working group to work in the interest of adolescents, especially girls; and the construction of the Gbarnga Youth Resource Center.
In sports, the ministry held the National County Sports Meet, recorded as one of the most exciting national tournaments in recent years; hosted the first National Sports Consultative Conference, aimed at formulating a national sports policy, recruited sports development officers for the 15 counties; and advanced construction works on Liberia’s first multi-sports gymnasium, which now stands at ninety-five Percent completed.
The ministry identified the lack of adequate resources to expand the NYVS program nation-wide and strengthen its vocational training centers as a major challenge to its service delivery efforts in 2009.
Tarpeh, however, lauded partners of the ministry, including UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, the AU, Talking Drum Studio, Action-Aid, Plan International, other government ministries and agencies and the Liberian citizenry for their support to the ministry, saying, “we are confident that with your sustained interest and support, the ministry can look ahead…for greater achievements.”
The minister commended the public for its remarkable support which ensured resounding success of the 2009 -2010 National County Sports Meet.
Describing the development of youth and sports as a critical factor for peace, stability and security in Liberia, Tarpeh said, “The Ministry of Youth and Sports remains committed to intensifying its focus on the young people and improving the delivery of service to them.
More Images:
Copyright Liberian Observer - All Rights Reserved. This article cannot be re-published without the expressed, written consent of the Liberian Observer. Please contact us for more information or to request publishing permission.
.JPG)
Updated: February 14, 2010 - 11:00pm
MONROVIA – Youth and Sports Minister, Etmonia David Tarpeh, has reiterated her ministry’s commitment to engaging the youth in constructive endeavors and helping to provide opportunities for their participation in nation building.
Tarpeh gave the assurance Thursday after a meeting with senior staff of the ministry, who had gathered to review the agency’s achievements during the past year and appraise its implementation plans for 2010.
In line with its deliverables against the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS), the ministry provided US$300,000 in subsidies to seven national youth organizations to assist in developing their organizational and program implementation capacities; facilitated the re-organization of the Liberia National Student Union to hold its first congress in 20 years; and hosted a three-day regional youth voluntary program conference to strategize for the establishment of youth service schemes throughout the Mano River region.
At the same time, the ministry, in collaboration with UNDP, established the National Volunteers for Peace program, which trained and deployed 30 youth in the 15 counties as animators for conflict resolution, implementing activities that consolidate peace; and held a three-day technical vocational education and training (TVET) conference, along with the National Working Group on TVET that established a mechanism for the adoption of a national TVET policy.
Other major achievements by the ministry in 2009 included the training and deployment of a second batch of 121 youth to participate in the National Youth Volunteer Service (NYVS), bringing to 188 the number of youth who have served in the program since its establishment in 2008; the training of more than 600 youth in various vocational disciplines; the employment of 5,580 youth, who participated in the ministry’s vacation job program; the establishment, along with UNFPA, of an adolescent girls working group to work in the interest of adolescents, especially girls; and the construction of the Gbarnga Youth Resource Center.
In sports, the ministry held the National County Sports Meet, recorded as one of the most exciting national tournaments in recent years; hosted the first National Sports Consultative Conference, aimed at formulating a national sports policy, recruited sports development officers for the 15 counties; and advanced construction works on Liberia’s first multi-sports gymnasium, which now stands at ninety-five Percent completed.
The ministry identified the lack of adequate resources to expand the NYVS program nation-wide and strengthen its vocational training centers as a major challenge to its service delivery efforts in 2009.
Tarpeh, however, lauded partners of the ministry, including UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, the AU, Talking Drum Studio, Action-Aid, Plan International, other government ministries and agencies and the Liberian citizenry for their support to the ministry, saying, “we are confident that with your sustained interest and support, the ministry can look ahead…for greater achievements.”
The minister commended the public for its remarkable support which ensured resounding success of the 2009 -2010 National County Sports Meet.
Describing the development of youth and sports as a critical factor for peace, stability and security in Liberia, Tarpeh said, “The Ministry of Youth and Sports remains committed to intensifying its focus on the young people and improving the delivery of service to them.