MONROVIA, Nov. 12 -- For years, Marie Marlesa Gaye watched her daughter acquire practical skills through vocational training, but rather than continue relying on her child to build a better future, she decided it was time to invest in herself.

By Patience M. Jones

Today, Gaye is learning soap-making at the Youth Education and Humanity Liberia (YEAH Liberia), a decision she says has opened new opportunities for personal development, economic independence, and the ability to empower other women in her community.

Her story reflects a growing determination among Liberian women to move beyond economic dependence and take greater control of their livelihoods through vocational education and skills development.

Gaye is among several women pa...