Betty* aged 30, is a single parent and the breadwinner for her two daughters who together live in Buchanan, central Liberia. Prior to Betty receiving support through the Family Strengthening Program, she was unemployed without a stable income.

“I had no source of income. I was relying on my husband, who was the breadwinner,” Betty explained. Betty lived in an unfinished house with her two children after being abandoned by her husband. Betty’s two children, aged 9 and 11, were out of school because she could not afford to pay their tuition.

“School fees, extra costs such as uniforms, books, and transport, were difficult to afford,” says Betty. She had to work as housemaid at a neighbor’s house. Every day she left the house at 6 am for work living her girls unattended.

Betty, then a housemaid, was enrolled in the Buchanan Family Strengthen Program supported by SOS Children’s Villages in Liberia.  In 2021 Betty received a mobile phone and cash transfer of $50 United States dollars (7,500 Liberian dollars), which she used to start a small business – selling assorted items.

“I buy palm oil, rice, tomatoes, pepper, and some dry goods to sell,” she said, adding that sometimes she makes 3,750 Liberian dollars ($25) or more from a daily sale.

The business is doing well, and Betty can provide a meal for her children and rent an apartment. Today, through the Family Strengthening Program, Betty two daughters are enrolled in school.

As a result of the support received, the family now has access to medical care, education and the household income has doubled. Beaming with a smile, Betty remarked, “…Now that my children are in school, I am optimistic that one day they will be able to fulfill their dreams.”

Written by Joseph Joboe, SOS Children’s Villages in Liberia Communications & Brand Coordinator

For privacy, the names in the story have been changed to protect the participant’s identity.