Across Liberia, people rely on the country's lush forests to survive. They hunt animals for meat. They clear trees to grow rice and other crops. Slowly, they're destroying what remains of the Upper Guinean forest region and its rich biodiversity.

And life isn't easy for Liberia's forest communities. Many struggle to feed their children. Their livelihoods are anything but stable.

Pact is addressing both problems with its signature WORTH program, which reduces poverty and empowers women through village banking and entrepreneurship. In Liberia, Pact is implementing WORTH with funding from USAID as part of the FIFES project. Through WORTH, Liberian forest communities are developing new, reliable livelihoods that don’t harm forests.

In groups of about 20, WORTH brings women together to save money, access credit and generate income. They make small savings deposits at weekly meetings, and when groups’ funds grow large enough, members may begin taking loans to start small businesses. Groups receive literacy, numeracy and business training.

For these women – and for their families, communities and forests – WORTH is making all the difference.

Here, WORTH member Wready Wehyee shows off her program guide book.

"We won't go back to the forest because WORTH and our books have helped us find something else. We have new ideas now, and we are all helping each other."

Photo taken Feb. 2017.