Archbishop Jubwe Calls for Skills Training to Empower Liberian Youths

By Lewis S. Teh

MONROVIA, June 22, 2026 — Archbishop of Monrovia Gabriel Blamo Jubwe has called for greater investment in skills training and stronger family values, saying they are essential to empowering Liberia’s youths and building resilient communities.

Delivering the keynote address at the Eighth Annual Strengthening Families Conference organized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Archbishop Jubwe said Liberia’s future depends on the decisions made today to prepare young people for productive lives.

“When families are strong, youth don’t have to search for belonging on the streets,” Jubwe said. “Likewise, when youth are empowered, communities no longer have to fear the future.”

Speaking under the conference theme, “Strengthening Families, Empowering Youth, and Building Resilient Communities,” the Archbishop said Liberia’s youthful population presents both an opportunity and a responsibility for national development.

He noted that with the country’s median age estimated at 19 years, the nation’s long-term stability will depend on how effectively young people are guided and equipped to contribute to society.

Jubwe identified drug abuse, youth unemployment and the erosion of traditional values as major challenges confronting Liberia’s younger generation but said strong families and active community engagement can help reverse the trend.

“History and experience teach us that communities with strong families and engaged youth have the power to shift this paradigm back, fastest and most sustainably,” he said.

Reflecting on Liberia’s post-war recovery, the Archbishop described the family as society’s first institution for teaching values and providing protection.

He also called for greater emphasis on vocational and technical education, arguing that practical skills are more valuable than academic qualifications alone in addressing unemployment.

“One marketable skill outweighs five certificates,” he said.

Jubwe encouraged greater investment in vocational training programs, including tailoring, soap making, phone repair and other trades, while urging young people to embrace entrepreneurship and financial literacy.

He praised the late Archbishop Michael Francis for expanding technical and vocational education after Liberia’s civil war through the establishment of Stella Maris Polytechnic.

The Archbishop also encouraged young Liberians to take advantage of savings and entrepreneurship initiatives, including Village Savings and Loan Associations and financial literacy programs supported by the Central Bank of Liberia.

He thanked The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for organizing the conference and pledged his continued support for initiatives that promote strong families and youth development.

The two-day conference, held at the EJS Ministerial Complex in Monrovia, brought together religious leaders, government officials, development partners and community advocates to discuss strategies for strengthening families and expanding opportunities for young people across Liberia.