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LAEJN Editorial Team
CHARLESVILLE TOWNSHIP, Margibi County — Over many difficult seasons, Betty Simpson, a widow and fishmonger in Charlesville Township situated in lower Margibi County, survived her fish trading business almost entirely on credit. With no steady capital and the responsibility of providing for her household alone, she relied on borrowed fish and informal credit arrangements just to remain active in the market.
“I used to live on credit,” Betty said. “If I didn’t get fish on credit, I couldn’t sell.”
Betty’s situation reflects the reality faced by many widowed women in Liberia’s coastal fishing communities, where limited access to capital often traps small-scale traders in cycles of debt and dependency. Any profit she made was quickly absorbed by repayments, leaving little room to save, reinvest, or plan for the future.
A turning point came when Betty was selected as a beneficiary of the Women Fishmonger Grant Empowerment Program under the Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project (LSMFP), a component implemented by Conservation International in collaboration with the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) through funding from the World Bank.
As a beneficiary, she gained access to much-needed start-up capital, financial literacy training, and basic business management support resources that allowed her to break free from dependence on credit and begin operating her fish trade independently.
“I had to go to my home and take fish from my brother-in-law before I could sell,” she said. “Sometimes I depended on credit just to do business.”
Through the financial assistance received, Madam Betty Simpson was able to purchase a large cooler for fish storage, construct an improved oven for fish drying, and invest part of the seed capital in the daily purchase of fish, in addition to acquiring essential materials to sustain her business.
According to Madam Simpson, the support has enabled her to secure a stable source of income, allowing her to keep her children in school and meet her family’s daily needs through the profits generated from her sales.
Betty emphasized that skills training is essential to sustaining long-term progress, highlighting the need for expanded capacity-building in business management, pricing strategies, and basic financial literacy for women fishmongers. While expressing gratitude for the financial assistance, she noted that combining funding with more practical training would ensure lasting impact and continued growth.
“Money can slip from your hand in a second,” she said. “But training cannot slip from your hand. With the right training, we can manage our businesses better and avoid losses.”
She noted that inconsistent pricing, weak bargaining power, and poor calculation practices at landing sites often reduce profits for women traders, highlighting the importance of continued technical support under the Women Fishmonger Grant Empowerment Program
Betty also emphasized the importance of strong relationships with fishermen and customers, noting that access to reliable supply networks and stable markets plays a key role in sustaining fisheries-based livelihoods.
She says her focus is on reinvesting her profits by building a shop to sell other food items and diversifying her income sources for long-term financial security for her household. She said this will help her strengthen her savings and provide stability beyond day-to-day survival.
“I plan to move to the next level,” she said. “I want to reinvest my profits, grow my business, and build a more stable future for my children.”
Betty called on the Government of Liberia, through NaFAA and its partners, to sustain and broaden support for women in the fisheries sector, with special attention to widows and single mothers. She emphasized that targeted assistance, such as financial grants, business training, and access to secure savings and markets, can help women overcome barriers to economic independence.
“My message to the government is to continue helping the women of Liberia,” she said. “As a widow and a single parent, you cannot do everything on your own. This support truly makes a difference.”
The Women Fishmonger Grant Empowerment Program goes beyond providing financial assistance; it is a comprehensive initiative aimed at strengthening livelihoods, promoting inclusive growth, and empowering women within Liberia’s fisheries value chain.
Through these interventions, women are not only able to expand their trading activities and reinvest profits, but they also contribute to more resilient coastal economies. Through supporting women at the center of the post-harvest fisheries value chain, the program reduces vulnerability to shocks and ensures that Liberia’s fisheries sector benefits from the skills, leadership, and innovation of women entrepreneurs.
