VOINJAMA, Lofa County — November 4, 2026: Liberia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports says it is extending its Youth Community Literacy and Skills Training Program to Lofa County, with a first phase expected to involve about 300 young people in Voinjama and nearby communities. The programme is designed for out-of-school youth who missed basic education and want a route from functional literacy into practical vocational training.
The Ministry says the Lofa engagement was held on October 31, 2026, in Voinjama. A separate ministry team was conducting a similar stakeholder engagement in Sinoe County as the initiative expands to both counties.
Who can take part?
According to the Ministry, the programme now targets young people aged 15 to 35 who never attended school or left at an early stage and have not acquired basic reading, writing and numeracy skills. The Ministry says participation is free.
Classes are planned to run for six months, three hours a day and three days a week. The timetable is intended to accommodate people with daytime responsibilities, including market vendors and farmers. Existing school facilities are expected to host afternoon and evening sessions.
Literacy first, then vocational skills
The first stage focuses on functional reading, writing and numeracy, including basic calculations. The Ministry says learners who complete the literacy stage will receive a certificate and may move on to short-cycle skills training in areas such as soap making, tailoring, pastry and baking, and hairdressing.
Progression to the vocational stage is conditional: the Ministry says participants must achieve between 85 and 90 percent attendance during the literacy component to qualify for the next stage. The release does not provide a separate assessment threshold for literacy proficiency.
Six institutions selected in Voinjama
The Ministry identifies six institutions selected to host the programme in and around Voinjama:
- Voinjama Multilateral High School;
- Voinjama Free Pentecostal Mission High School;
- Lawalazu Public School in Lawalazu Town, District Four;
- St. Joseph Catholic School in Voinjama City;
- Kormah Shepherdhood School System in Voinjama City; and
- Champion of Faith Academy in the Looking Town Community, Voinjama City.
Questions about enrolment and delivery
The Ministry says the first phase is expected to recruit about 300 young people from Voinjama and surrounding communities. Its public announcement does not specify an enrolment deadline, the application procedure, the number of available places at each institution, or the budget for delivery. Those details will matter to prospective learners and communities seeking to understand how access will be managed.
The Ministry’s release names the Luminos Fund as a programme supporter and refers to a history dating to 2005. Luminos Fund’s own public account says it has worked in Liberia since 2016. The two dates are not reconciled in the available information, so HeartTalk is not presenting 2005 as a verified start date for Luminos’ work in Liberia.
Why the expansion matters
For young people who missed formal schooling, basic literacy can affect access to public services, further education and income-generating opportunities. Linking literacy to practical skills may widen those options, but the programme’s impact will depend on consistent attendance, suitable instructors, reliable vocational placements and transparent reporting on how many learners complete each stage.
HeartTalk Network will follow the implementation in Lofa and Sinoe, including enrolment, class delivery and the transition from literacy lessons to vocational training.
Sources: Liberia Ministry of Youth and Sports — programme expansion announcement, November 4, 2026; Luminos Fund — its work in Liberia.
HeartTalk Network — Speaking from the Heart.
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