OUR STORY AND MISSION
Kpo'ma Women was founded in 2020 and is dedicated to eradicating poverty in rural Liberia, West Africa. Our founder, Constance Mulbah was born in Liberia, but violence from the civil conflicts forced her family to move to the United States. She completed her Bachelor's Degree in Public Health and her Masters in Business; she decided that she wanted to give back to her home country.
After working with international development initiatives, it was clear that people—particularly women in rural parts of the world experience inequality as it relates to entrepreneurial advancement. Constance identified a gap in access to resources, education and investment opportunities for women in rural Liberia, and since then she has worked with her colleague to create a grassroots initiative to address these issues.
Liberia, the oldest republic in Africa, is a country rich in cultural traditions and blessed with abundant natural resources. Unfortunately, much of the country’s infrastructure was destroyed during civil wars which lasted 14 years.
Although the last war ended in 2003, the impact of the conflict can still be seen. The country’s economic system remains fragile and there is a lack of access to finance and other resources.
The 2014- 2015 Ebola epidemic added to the country’s challenges, and rural communities have been disproportionately impacted. Liberia has been categorized as a Least Developed Country and a Low-Income Food-Deficit Country, that also relies heavily on foreign assistance.
Poverty is widespread. An estimated 51 percent of the population lives in rural areas where poverty is heavily focused. These rural areas lack access to basic infrastructure and social services, and poor roads leave many areas inaccessible.
Approximately 55 percent of rural Liberian households are food insecure. The country’s low agricultural production and poor household income has contributed to chronic insecurity since the civil war.
In rural communities, women’s participation in the economy is often informal, which puts them at greater risk for financial insecurity compared to their male counterparts. This financial gap creates income inequality and leaves women and their families vulnerable to poverty and poor living conditions.
Kpo’ma Women was created to increase access to resources, investment opportunity, technology and sustainable business development initiatives for women in rural Bong County. We work at the grassroot level to build capacity and to encourage long-term growth opportunities.
Our farming project focuses on supporting a women’s farmer cooperative by improving both the supply chain and manufacturing processes of the rice harvest. Our financial literacy project focuses on creating a foundation for entrepreneurship and economic equity.
At Kpo’ma Women, we believe in fostering equitable growth and ensuring that all women have access to the tools they need to improve income prospects for their families and communities.