Liberia: Entrepreneurs Benefit Cash Awards Under USAID Funded BRIDGE-U HEALR Program
Following their completion of the Health Entrepreneurship Advancement Leveraging Research (HEALR) Creation Course, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sponsored Bringing Research to Impact for Development and Global Engagement – Utilization (BRIDGE–U Liberia) project has awarded several entrepreneurs.
The HEALR program is an innovation program supported by the USAID BRIDGE-U: Liberia in partnership with the University of Liberia College of Health Sciences (
(ULCHS) through the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation (CTLI).
It aims to assist aspiring entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions to health problems/challenges in Liberia.
HEALR applies the principles of entrepreneurship and mentorship to help academic partners advance their research in the health field. The first phase, ideation, focused on problem identification, solution design, and basic business skills training.
Speaking Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at the creation course awards ceremony held in Monrovia, Madam Emily Sheldon, Co-Founder and CEO of African Health Innovation, said the competition is a result of several stages of the program and the results of the growth and development of participants.
She lauded participants of the program for their collaboration and cooperation that showed each other during the course of the program.
“So the relationships that you are developing now are not leaving this year; you can continue to support each other in your venture and all the other things that you do. You need to develop long-term relationships with people who mentored you under this program. These are people who will continue to mentor you after this program, these are people who will continue to support your businesses,” said Madam Sheldon.
Sheldon, who spoke on behalf of the faculty, urged the participants to make proper use of the knowledge acquired during the course of the program in their future endeavors.
In remarks, Lila Kerr, Implementation Director of BRIDGE-U: Liberia, lauded all participants for their time during the course of the program.
“You all have been so well, so committed, so dedicated. So I just want to say congratulations. I am so proud of you.”
Accordingly, the first prize was won by Deerah B. Mensah of Pharma Mal, who walked away with US$6,000.
Deerah in a brief comment lauded BRIDGE U: Liberia for the inspirational support to the project.
“You have been so inspirational. It’s been a mix of good times and bad times but we overcame it all. It was really a great learning process,” Deerah told the gathering amid laughter.
Leelah J. Clarke, an alumnus and also first prize winner of the Creation Cohort 1 program, extolled participants for their time, thus urging them to celebrate.
“Regardless of the different categories of awards, there is something to celebrate. This is like a Master in Business Administration. We need to push ourselves forward. I want to encourage you –winners to use these awards for the right purposes. Build yourselves for a viable future.”
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