MONROVIA – The Young Liberian Women Organization for Improvement (WOFIM), in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has launched an emergency intervention to address the growing drinking water crisis affecting residents of Bassa Point in Grand Bassa County’s District One.
The initiative follows an urgent appeal from community members who reported that hundreds of residents have been relying on untreated creek water for drinking and household use due to the absence of safe water facilities.
According to WOFIM, an assessment team recently visited the coastal community to inspect drinking water sources and collect samples for laboratory analysis.
The organization said the results of the water quality assessment are expected to be released publicly in the coming weeks.
The emergency response is part of WOFIM’s broader community-based conservation and ecotourism project being implemented in partnership with the people of Bassa Point.
Stakeholders Discuss Community Needs
Earlier, on June 4, WOFIM convened a one-day stakeholders’ meeting at the EPA headquarters in Monrovia, bringing together representatives from government institutions, civil society organizations, development partners, academia, the media, and community leaders.
Participants included officials from the EPA, the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia, the U.S. Embassy, the Liberia National Tourism Association, the University of Liberia’s Forestry and Ecotourism Department, and other stakeholders.
The meeting featured presentations from professionals participating in the U.S. Department of State’s Mandela Washington Fellowship Reciprocal Exchange Program and WOFIM Executive Director Kona S. Kollie.
Community representatives also shared firsthand accounts of the challenges confronting Bassa Point, highlighting the urgent need for improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), healthcare, education, transportation, and other essential public services.
Residents Depend on Creek Water
One of the major concerns raised during the meeting was the community’s dependence on creek water for drinking.
Community leaders demonstrated how residents collect water from nearby running creeks before filtering it through sandbags in an attempt to remove impurities.
According to residents, Bassa Point has never had access to safe drinking water since the community was established.
Beyond the water crisis, community members reported the absence of a police station, marketplace, vocational education center, and other critical infrastructure, warning that continued neglect could deepen public frustration.
Conservation and Tourism Project
WOFIM said the emergency water assessment aligns with the Government of Liberia’s “WASH for All” agenda while complementing its conservation and ecotourism initiative titled “From Potential to Prosperity: Advancing Economic Development and Cultural Appreciation Through Tourism in Grand Bassa County.”
The project is being implemented through the Mandela Washington Fellowship Reciprocal Exchange Program led by WOFIM Executive Director Kona S. Kollie, a 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow.
According to the organization, the initiative seeks to protect coastal and mangrove ecosystems, monitor water sources in collaboration with the EPA, train women and youth as eco-tourism guides, develop eco-trails and a community visitor center, and promote tourism as a tool for local economic development and poverty reduction.
Revenue generated through tourism, WOFIM said, would support investments in safe drinking water, healthcare, education, sanitation, and other community priorities.
Appeal for Support
WOFIM is appealing to donors and development partners to support the implementation of the proposed Bassa Point Conservation and Ecotourism Plan.
The organization says additional funding would enable it to expand access to safe drinking water, create employment opportunities, strengthen environmental conservation, and improve living conditions for residents.
WOFIM also expressed appreciation to the EPA for collaborating on the emergency water assessment and for supporting discussions aimed at integrating environmental protection with sustainable tourism development.
The organization reaffirmed its commitment to working with government and development partners to safeguard Liberia’s water resources while promoting sustainable tourism and community development in Grand Bassa County.
