New President George Weah is nothing less than revered among Liberia’s youth, who view his rise from the slums to stellar success in European football as proof he can also turn around their fragile economy.
In his inaugural address on Monday, Weah thanked young voters for propelling him to power, telling them: “This is your government.”
But depressed commodity prices, an inexperienced administration and a straitened budget could cloud their dreams and stir resentment, experts caution.
“We know that change will come,” said Peter Forkpah, an unemployed man in his early 20s who spends his days kicking his heels in the rural county of Bomi.
“I trust this government that the price of rice will come down, the exchange rate will come down.”
More than 60% of Liberia’s 4.6-million population is under 25. Most are unemployed or under-employed, according to the government, although lack of reliable figures means the true extent of joblessness is unclear.
Many, though, voted for Weah in the belief he would quickly boost employment. Mired in poverty, Liberia ranks a dismal 177th out of the 188 countries in the UN’s Human Development Index.
Part of the problem stems from the country’s recent history.
The catastrophic 1989-2003 civil war stole the youth of an entire generation, forcing some into lives as child soldiers or displacing whole families into informal camps away from the fighting.
It also suspended schooling and formal training for the generation that came afterwards, as the country struggled to recover living standards in 12 years under ex-president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
“A lot of young people never had the opportunity that some people may have had in the 80s or 70s with ‘luxuries’ like running water and electricity,” said Charles Everliving King, who runs the Liberia Heals Initiative, which promotes reconciliation.
“Most young people want to be progressive, want to look for employment, want to go to school,” he said. “They just want an opportunity to present to the world what they have to offer.”
Liberia has the highest proportion of out-of-school primary-aged children in the world, according to the Street Child charity, who go on to become illiterate teenagers without the skills needed to form a dynamic workforce.
