-Partnership to Formalize Support for Hospital Renovation, Mobile Clinics in Lofa, School Rehabilitation in Bomi, and a Maternal Health Facility in Bong
MONROVIA — First Lady Kartumu Yarta Boakai and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) have agreed to formalize a new partnership aimed at fast-tracking community-level health and education projects with near-term impact for Liberians.
UNDP Country Representative Aliou Mamadou Dia paid a courtesy call on the First Lady at the Executive Mansion on Thursday, October 23, following their initial engagement at the 80th UN General Assembly in New York. The meeting focused on aligning the Office of the First Lady’s grassroots initiatives with UNDP’s portfolio in support of Liberia’s national development priorities.
According to the Office of the First Lady, UNDP reiterated commitments already in motion, including renovation of Tellewion Hospital and plans to deploy mobile clinics in Lofa County—interventions designed to expand access to essential care and reduce travel time for patients in hard-to-reach communities. UNDP also highlighted youth and women’s economic empowerment through the Growth Accelerator Program.
The First Lady outlined complementary projects led by her office: the renovation of Gertrude Yancy Public School in Bomi County to improve learning conditions, and construction of a maternal health facility in Leilei, Bong County, aimed at reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
Both sides agreed to formalize the collaboration and identify a shortlist of high-impact projects for coordinated support—pairing UNDP’s technical and financial backing with the First Lady’s community outreach network to speed delivery and strengthen accountability.
Why it Matters
- Health access: Renovating Tellewion Hospital and introducing mobile clinics in Lofa are expected to increase the availability of basic services, cut referral delays, and improve continuity of care in rural areas.
- Maternal health: A dedicated facility in Leilei, Bong County, targets one of Liberia’s most persistent health gaps—safe birth and postnatal care—by bringing services closer to families.
- Education quality: Upgrading Gertrude Yancy Public School addresses basic infrastructure deficits that contribute to poor learning outcomes, especially for girls.
- Economic inclusion: UNDP’s Growth Accelerator Program supports youth- and women-led enterprises with training and catalytic support, linking livelihoods to local development.
What’s Next
The Office of the First Lady and UNDP said they will move to formalize the partnership and jointly scope projects for implementation, with details on timelines, budgets, and partners to be announced after technical assessments are completed. The approach is intended to concentrate resources on a small set of deliverables that can show results quickly while building systems for longer-term impact. The meeting underscores a broader push to leverage international cooperation around community priorities—particularly primary healthcare, maternal and child health, and basic education—so that services reach households beyond Liberia’s major cities. Senior government officials and members of the diplomatic community were present at the Executive Mansion ceremony.
