Big Idea Liberia

28/03/2024

THE MANIFESTOS OF THE TEAM SECOND SECOND TERM BID:

1. The team will initiate the construction of the ALICOR Media Village to be comprised of the office, studio, event hall/ training center, and guest house, all for income-generating purposes. Given the experience of the team's first term over the years, new ideas and strategies have evolved.

2. They are still determined to set up the spare parts store, giving its importance to the sector. Our leadership is determined to embark upon this initiative and ensure its successful implementation.

3. Social enterprise development for revolving capital to help sustain ALICOR member stations. International media development organizations have come and gone and the most talked about issue of sustainability is yet to be addressed, simply because the main thing has not been addressed. Community radio journalists and managers have received training, community radio stations have received equipment, but sustaining these stations is still a problem. To address sustainability, community radio stations need to be giving direct funding as a revolving capital investment. Community radio getting involved in social enterprise, following the Internews model, will help in a significant way in addressing sustainability. ALICOR will work local, national and international partners (the government of Liberia) to ensure this works and that it works for the better.

4. Sustaining the secretariat beyond our tenure is a major priority that the leadership will focus on during the leadership second term. We solicit support at every level, through project proposals and business model interventions.

5. Seeking support for additional or more community radio stations for solar energy.

SUPPORT Hctor Zanana Garmo gar Mulbah and TEAM FOR THE forward movement of ALICOR.

We said it, we did it, we are saying it, and we can do.

30/04/2021

I was invited to serve as the key note speaker for the 26th anniversary of the Good Samaritan Orphanage Home tomorrow, May 1, 2021.

I served as an instructor for this home 10years back, donor and attracted friends from Europe that includes Simon Crowe , Natasha Early, Peter Sleigh and many others to support this orphanage home of which they did prior to the COVID-19. Dr. Kimmie L. Weeks was also instrumental in helping this home through my influence.

To date, the home has over 35 children that lacked the basic needs. I am told that the issue of meal, clothing, caretakers, etc are problem. This home has kindergarten and elementary school that also incorporates children from the community.

Let me be grateful and extend my thanks and appreciation to all who still helping the kids in their weak way and also want to call on my old friends who use to stand by me to help support this home to please come back with their humanitarian support.

I also want to call on all well wishers and humanitarian to join us to help secure the future of these parentless children by donating whatever you can to help. They need food, clothes, shoes, sneakers, books, furniture, etc. The little you give today will carry them long way.

I am starting this donation with $10,000 Liberian dollars. If you can do it for less important things, you can do it for these needed children.

29/11/2020

Join us in becoming a supporter.

Fund teacher training or a teachers salary so that we can improve the quality of our children's education.

Contribute to our school extension so that we can double the number of places available to children in our community.

Match fund our agricultural programme so that we can continue to create diverse income streams to sustain the school.

Photo Credits:
John Early at The Light Monkey Ltd.

29/11/2020

We are the people of Duwehn Town.
Join us in making the impossible possible.

25/10/2020

Today we would like to celebrate the achievements of the Duwehn Town community. The final report of the cassava planting project has been shared with the team at Big Idea Leadership in Liberia.

To summarise the outcomes noted in the report, the community have achieved the following 5 milestones -

1. Cleared the land and planted seeds, according to new methods of planting that support a strong yield.

2. They nurtured and then harvested the crop, learning many lessons along the way about spoilage and storage of cassava once harvested.

3. When Covid-19 restrictions hit, the community were able to draw on the harvest to provide food sustenance for over 100 families in need and also supply the local orphanage.

4. When it was learned that the planned method of processing wasn’t workable the community consulted together and pivoted their plan to sell the raw cassava in bulk, ensuring that the crop didn’t go to waste.

5. Through the actions of the community the project covered its costs and made a small profit that will be reinvested into the next community planting project.

The biggest learning for the community came around choice of crop, they have decided that the next planting project will focus on palm.

This will be a ‘left’ crop and the community propose to test the theory that it is more easily sustained by the community, with a higher yield and better market prospects.

That doesn’t mean that the cassava project hasn’t created a legacy of its own; another outcome is the planned sharing of cassava stems with other communities so that smaller farms can be set up and developed that provide sustenance and small trading opportunities.

The community of Duwehn Town intend to offer a train the trainer approach to educate on the new planting methods and develop a cooperative farming community in and around Duwehn Town.

We would like to congratulate the community on their efforts, learning and future project success.

Thank you!!

17/08/2020

On behalf of the Big Idea Leadership In Liberia and Big Idea UK, wish you happy birthday Mr. Jackson Saywon, chairman the Duwhen Town community on the BILL project. Enjoy your day.

01/08/2020

On behalf of the Big Idea Leadership In Liberia, we want to Congratulate Natasha and John for joining together as one people. It is our prayer that God almighty shower his many blessings upon this marriage and give it long life. Bravo!! Bravo!!

23/07/2020

On behalf of the Big Idea Leadership of Liberia (BILL), I want to extend my thanks and appreciation to the Big Idea UK most especially Simon Crowe ,Natasha McCreesh and all other who contributed to Mekie's mother home going. It was wonderful despite of her not having family that will help burry her mothe. With your meaningful contributions, she got a befitting burial. Thank you for carrying!! May God almighty replenish whatever you have taken from your treasure. Together, we can make it.

20/07/2020

13/05/2020

Yesterday BILL CEO visited Duwehn Town for a meeting with the community representatives.

In a project that has long term sustainability aims it is helpful to check in at key points to understand levels of engagement and motivation. At the same time generate ideas for new ways of working and discuss questions of concern.

Right now is a pivotal moment in the agricultural project, the first harvest is underway and second planting being undertaken in parallel. As with all start up projects, rewards can take some time to be reaped and in this case most of the 'return' from the first harvest will fund the second. It's easy to lose sight of the long term objective when challenges are faced in the present moment. Coming together to talk openly about progress and engage with the bigger picture is a powerful part of any sustainable growth plan.

Representatives from across the community participated in a SWOT analysis and identified next steps for the cassava project.

The community also used this meeting to agree how to allocated funds received as contribution to the community coronavirus response. They intend to set up a washing station at the entrance to the town and have volunteers posted at the station to ask all visitors to wash up before entering the community.