Tubmanburg, Bomi County, August 20, 2025 – The people of Bomi County joined national leaders and international partners on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, to launch the T-Burg Eco-Brigade 2025, a new program aimed at addressing the growing challenges of climate change, deforestation, and pollution in Liberia.
The Eco-Brigade is a community-based environmental program in Liberia that brings together young people, women, and even persons with disabilities to actively engage in protecting and conserving the environment while also creating opportunities for jobs and empowerment.
The ceremony, held in Tubmanburg, brought together government officials, representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), civil society, youth groups, and traditional leaders.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Anthony S. Kollie, Acting Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA), called the initiative “a movement of hope, action, and transformation.”
Mr. Kollie explained that the Eco-Brigade will train young people, empower women, and include persons with disabilities to take part in environmental protection while creating opportunities for decent jobs and green businesses.
“For every young person trained in green entrepreneurship, for every woman empowered with skills to run an eco-friendly business, and for every person with disability given a place in this brigade, we are breaking the cycle of poverty and inequality while strengthening our resilience to climate change,” he said.
He noted that Liberia’s forests, rivers, wetlands, and coastlines are under serious threat and stressed that community involvement is key to safeguarding the country’s natural resources. “Environmental stewardship cannot be imposed, it must be lived,” he stated, calling for strong policy support, political will, and partnerships.
The EPA acting Deputy Executive Director praised the support of UNDP, SCNL, and other partners, saying their contributions are helping change lives and protect nature. He reminded the people of Bomi that the success of the Eco-Brigade depends on their ownership and commitment.
“To the people of Bomi, this is your program. The environment belongs to us all, and its protection must be our shared duty,” he said.
Other speakers at the event included Tubmanburg City Mayor Hon. Mohamed A. Sheriff, Bomi County Superintendent Hon. Miatta E. Dorley, and representatives from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia (SCNL).
The launch activities featured a parade, formal presentations, remarks from key stakeholders, and group photos with participants.
Mr. Kollie urged Liberians to “plant trees of hope, build businesses of resilience, and nurture a nation where economic progress and environmental sustainability walk hand in hand.”
