Phil is in Liberia documenting the work of Foundation for Women (FFW), an organization that strives to continually support and encourage impoverished women, both globally and locally, by funding and creating microcredit programs. A longtime supporter of Phil and his work, Kevin Castner is traveling with him and reporting back to us from the field. They are also, along with the WTYSL team, helping young women leaders attending a “Women’s Leadership Conference” put on by FFW make a movie for their community.

“There will be no prosperity or development if there is no peace.”
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

President Sirleaf Speaking

The summit is done and it was a big success.  Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was present and addressed the audience, and the Vice President Joseph Boakai made the closing remarks.  Minister for Gender Development Vabah K. Gayflor also spoke.  The U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield was in the room and lent her weight and opinions to the discussion.  Mayors, senators and other notables were also seen and heard from.  The highlight for me was manning a camera during a private interview President Sirleaf granted to our own Martha Daniels.

Phil prepping Martha for her interview with the President

Just as importantly, women from all over Liberia attended and heard each other’s voices, raised questions, cheered each other and their progress so far, and suggested courses of action.  Some of these women are uneducated and illiterate.  Some have traveled for days to be here.  All of them are leaders in their communities.

Title Page of Summit Agenda

We got picked up at 6:30am and arrived at City Hall at 7:00.  We spent the next two hours setting up (college blue books and bic pens at every place setting) and then holding our breath to see how many people would show up.  All our girls were there, even more resplendent than the previous day.  I was really worried when the room had only 50 or so people at 9:00.  I asked Ann Lovell how many people had RSVP’d.  She replied succinctly, ‘zero’.  She explained that nobody RSVP’s in Liberia.  You send out invites, word gets around and you cross your fingers.  Strange doings to most westerners, but standard procedure in Liberia – know as Liberian time or TIA (This Is Africa).  However it all works and our hall is full by 9:30.  The President has yet to show up, but at 9:45 she is in the house too and we get started.

The first speaker is Minister of Gender and Development Vabah K. Gayflor.  She talks to the women about ‘coming together’, ‘working together’, and finally ‘staying together’; for her, the latter stage equates with success.  I find a clear political message here – staying together means re-electing President Sirleaf (after two weeks in Liberia I share that opinion wholeheartedly).

After Minister Gayflor, U.S. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield takes the podium.  Among her messages are that Liberia needs more education and fewer young mothers, “They shouldn’t be having babies when they are still babies.”

FFW Young Woman Leader, Hawa Sesay, Speaking

Next up is President Sirleaf.  She speaks slowly and distinctly, making precisely the same points about early pregnancy and education.  She also says, “We need to stop the violence.”

There are 28 other candidates running for President.  All of them are men.  They all seem to be saying not enough has been done, and that therefore Liberia needs change at the top.  The counter argument is that 6 years of peace is a huge improvement, coupled with the forgiveness (organized by the Sirleaf Administration) of almost 100% of the outstanding external debt.  That couldn’t happen overnight, but it is done.  If the women can ‘stay together’ they can build on these accomplishments, not just rest on their laurels.  For Liberia’s sake I hope they get the chance.

The moment the President is done we get the word from her wonderful Protocol Officer that she will make time to do an interview with Martha.  This was up in the air to the last minute.  We grab all our equipment, Alicia, Philippa and Moses and get as fast as we can to a small private room to set up.  It takes the President 15 minutes to get to us as she has a receiving line of women to greet every step of the way.

Martha Interviews President Sirleaf

And then, Martha takes center stage and interviews the President of her country!  It’s a wonderful, exciting opportunity for her (me, too) and Martha handles her end extremely well.  Four of us have camera’s boring in, and Martha sits knee to knee with her hero.  We’ve also got a security contingent and a couple of unknown camera guys in the room, but essentially it is our deal.  Which thankfully goes very smoothly.  After 5 minutes the President is hustled out of the room.  But not, surprisingly, out of my life!

We will spend the rest of the day, until 5pm, back in the big room.  The two hour delayed breakfast put off the overall schedule and we never do complete everything, but the idea to get many women’s organizations together in one room and talk about how to work together, share resources, lose some of the individual ‘territoriality’ that makes them often fight instead of furthering their many common goals, has been planted.  Late in the day Deborah tells the audience that a second summit is already being scheduled.

Phil and I Wearing Shirts From the President Sirleaf

So, from really grand to small and personal.  At 2pm Minister Gayflor walks over to me and says ‘President Sirleaf has bought you and your assistant shirts’.  I joke about the mix up but say thanks.  The Minister leaves, but at 3 p.m. she’s back with a big plastic bag and inside are two beautiful native shirts.  Thank you, President Sirleaf!

Just before 4:30 V.P. Boakai shows up.  He reads a statement to the women, saying “We are not doing you a favor but giving you your rightful places as partners.”  He thanks the Foundation For Women and other major contributors to the Summit.  Later he reads, “This is not a campaign against men….”, and perhaps that is true, but it certainly is a campaign against male dominance.  The women of Mama Liberia have earned the chance to run things.  They can’t do any worse.

Native Dance Troop

The Summit ends a little after 5 p.m. with the same dance troupe that entertained us twice before at Kendeja.  When things are well and truly winding up, and all the big equipment is safely stored in the vans, we meet with the girls in front of City Hall for a group photo and hugs.  Sadly, Veronica and Emily have to begin their long journeys home and we won’t see them again.

Our Last Group Shot

While Phil Borges and WTYSL work on the post-production for all the media they have collected I will fill you in on our past site visit to the Rock Crushers.  Stay tuned!