Liberia Agricultural and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN) Promote informed journalism and public engagement on agricultural and environmental nalists Network (LAEJN)
By LAEJN Editorial Team
Before the intervention of Conservation International (CI), women fishmongers in Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County, faced persistent challenges in securing and managing their earnings. Operating almost entirely in cash, many had no safe place to store money and no reliable system for tracking daily income or expenses. After long days in the market, profits were often quickly spent on immediate needs, misplaced, or stolen, leaving little to save or reinvest.
Despite their hard work, this lack of financial structure kept many women trapped in cycles of economic insecurity, limiting their ability to grow their businesses or plan for their families’ futures.
“We had no proper system to control our money,” recalled Korpo Ballah, Chairperson of the women fishmongers in Robertsport. “When we sold fish, the money would finish quickly because nothing was holding it.”
This reality began to change when CI introduced financial literacy and business management training under the Women Fishmonger Grant Empowerment Program. Apart from financial literacy and business management, the women fishmongers have also received training in risk management and mitigation, environmental and social safeguards, and sustainable fishing and livelihood practices. These practical business skills, combined with capacity-building activities in risk management and business diversification, have empowered the women in fishing communities through Conservation International to strengthen their resilience.
Recognizing that cash-based trading exposed women to high financial risks, CI integrated a mobile banking approach into the program. As part of the initiative, each beneficiary was required to obtain a dedicated mobile money SIM card to securely save business earnings and manage transactions.
According to Korpo Ballah, the requirement initially met resistance among the women, many of whom were unfamiliar with digital financial services.
“The first thing CI people did was ask us to create a mobile money SIM card before they could give us a cent,” she explained. “At first, we thought it was bad. We wanted the raw cash.”
However, as the women began using mobile money, attitudes quickly shifted. With guidance from CI’s training sessions, beneficiaries learned how to deposit earnings, monitor balances, and review transaction histories. For the first time, many women could clearly see how much they were earning and how they were spending their money.
“We now realize that saving money on mobile money can restrict how you spend it,” Korpo said. “It is very difficult for people to steal from you.”
Through mobile banking, women fishmongers are now able to track their earnings, plan expenditures, and protect their savings from loss or misuse. The digital system has encouraged stronger financial discipline, helping beneficiaries’ separate business income from household expenses and plan ahead for school fees, emergencies, and reinvestment.
The shift from cash-based handling to mobile banking has also reduced pressure from relatives and friends who previously had easy access to traders’ daily earnings. Women who save money digitally report feeling more secure and more in control of their finances.
As a result, women fishmongers in Robertsport now express greater confidence in managing their businesses and making informed financial decisions. Many say the mobile banking initiative has strengthened not only their economic stability, but also their sense of independence and dignity.
The experience in Robertsport demonstrates how combining financial literacy training with digital financial tools can empower women in small-scale fisheries, promote accountability, and build long-term financial resilience. Through practical innovations such as mobile banking, Conservation International continues to support women fishmongers in gaining control over their finances and strengthening livelihoods along Liberia’s coast.
The Women Fishmonger Grant Empowerment Program, implemented by Conservation International in partnership with the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) under the Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project (LSMFP), provides financial assistance, business training, and technical support to women in Liberia’s coastal counties. The program aims to strengthen women’s roles in the post-harvest fisheries value chain, enhance income-generating capacities, and build resilience against climate-related and economic shocks.
