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Youth Crime Watch of Liberia (YCWL) is an accredited youth organization established in 2004, to help address the need for grassroots participation in nation building, following the age-long civil conflict which nearly discriminated the population. We are dedicated to fighting illiteracy and promoting reconciliation, reconstruction, peace, development and better and healthier lifestyles in Liberia through crime prevention, youth empowerment and employment.

The goals and visions of Youth Crime Watch Liberia along with our past and current programs align with the missions of diverse development, recovery and emergency/relief institutions. Particularly those of children/youth education including TVET, life skills development, human rights and protection including economic empowerment, women’s leadership and participation.

Other areas include women peace and security, and Gender-responsive budgeting and planning. Youth Crime Watch Liberia takes a holistic approach to the progress of young people especial disadvantaged and marginalized by not only providing them the tools and skills needed such as educational enhancement/endowment response, entrepreneur/business training for youth and families needing strengthening support including practical training, micro lending, and leadership, self-esteem, ICT skills.

At the heart of Youth Crime Watch Liberia’s programs is a strategy or theory of change that recognizes the need for active, empowered and enabled youth citizens who have a channel for interaction with an accountable state and society with the goal of reducing and preventing crime. By enabling and empowering Liberian youth through experience (community development projects), opportunities (leadership), skill-based training (entrepreneurship), and access (knowledge, education and technology), we help to bridge power gaps while simultaneously decentralizing economic activities and post-war reconstruction efforts. With programs entirely focused on building confidence, trauma healing, business/skills training, and action for women we help redistribute power bringing Liberia’s most at risk populations to a forum where they can be heard, respected and incorporated into all aspects of society and policy. While we currently focus on grassroots empowerment, we are beginning to incorporate civil engagement and policy advocacy into many of our programs. We do so through the establishment of innovative, collaborative platforms and channels that could connect all Liberians. In this process we directly reduce risk factors that lead to crime. Through our crime reporting and prevention system and needs assessments we determine what primary interventions are needed where. In the future, as more and more young women and men become engaged in this system, they themselves will become leaders of peaceful interventions and become socially responsible, active citizens.