Sustaining Peace through Development Initiatives (SPDI) was founded by Liberians working with ZOA Nederland in Liberia and was legally registered in May 2021 as a not-for-profit organization. SPDI was established as part of the exit strategy following the expiration of operations of ZOA as an international organization in Liberia. The establishment of SPDI has promoted continuity, sustainability, and localization of the gains ZOA-NL made over the years in Liberia. SPDI’s team is comprised of qualified, experienced, and trustworthy Liberians who understand the local context and are committed to contributing to sustained peace and inclusive development in Liberia. SPDI’s areas of expertise include, but are not limited to, Peace-building, Community Dialogues, Climate Change, Food Security and Livelihoods (agriculture), Democracy, Human Rights, and Reconciliation (peaceful and inclusive societies), Quality and Affordable Education, WASH, and Gender Equality & Mainstreaming.

SPDI’s current focus is aimed at strengthening women, youth, local authorities, and people living with disabilities and other marginalized groups’ inclusive participation in decision-making, livelihood activities, and the democratic process that affect their lives. SPDI particularly empowers women, youth, and marginalized groups to raise their voices and demand freedom of choice through peacebuilding, information Workshops, Civic Engagement Dialogues, Agriculture, and Micro- finance (VSLA) skills. We also seek to address underlying conditions that negatively impact women, girls, and marginalized groups’ political participation and the advancement of their socio-economic development agendas by providing them opportunities to be recognized and space to grow in their communities through Agriculture, dialogues, and advocacy.

On the other hand, SPDI is also addressing food insecurity by empowering smallholder farmers, primarily women, PWDs and youth, to grow diverse, nutritious crops and improve their farming techniques. The capacity of smallholders is enhanced through on-site training, provisions of inputs, regular coaching, and linking farmers to markets so that their production and investment in their plots become financially sustainable. SPDI also promotes gender equality by actively involving women, people living with disabilities, and youth, helping them to become active economic contributors in their communities. Despite having fertile soils, most smallholder farmers in Liberia continue to have low yields. This is primarily due to a lack of access to quality seeds and tools, as well as ineffective agricultural methods. In addition, many of them do not practice crop diversification. Consequently, there is poor nutrition, low resilience, and inter-generational poverty.

SPDI also works with smallholder farmers in establishing Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), enabling farmers to save, access microloans, and invest in quality seeds, tools, or other small income-generating enterprises. Farmers receive training that emphasizes sustainable practices that increase yields, improve nutrition, and create new income opportunities.

This approach is vital because many farmers lack access to modern techniques, quality inputs, and financial services, which limits their productivity and income. By providing hands-on training and financial tools, farmers can produce more nutritious food, sell surplus crops, and invest in their families’ futures. SPDI has extensive experience in agricultural development and community empowerment, ensuring that farmers receive the right support and guidance.

SPDI has many years of hands-on experience in working with marginalized communities, including women, youth, and PWDs, and local authorities and leaders in Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa and Margibi Counties. More specifically, SPDI has contributed to building socio-cohesion, human rights promotion, advocacy, peace-building, economic empowerment, and the promotion of civic political participation, inclusive decision-making, and dialogue. Moreover, SPDI understands donors’ compliance and reporting timelines and, in addition to their programmatic capability, SPDI has strong and robust internal control and financial procedure systems that mandate staff to observe checks and balances of the financial system that promote the financial probity of the organization’s finances. SPDI encourages the global policy of zero tolerance of fraud and corruption, and requires all staff/volunteers at all times to act honestly and with integrity and to safeguard the assets for which they are responsible. SPDI has a very strong network and collaborates with the Liberia Peacebuilding Office.