EchoChange Project Sparks Grassroots Advocacy on Liberia’s Public Health Bill

September 9, 2025

Monrovia:  Communities in Montserrado and Margibi Counties are stepping up to shape national health policy after a series of workshops under the EchoChange Project

The project is being led by the Help a Mother and Newborn Initiative.

The initiative which was launched to deepen grassroots understanding of Liberia’s revised Public Health Bill, has already begun shifting perceptions and mobilizing local leaders.

From July 1 to 18, the project team led by Qweta C. Gbaie, project lead engaged residents in King Gray and New Kru Town (Montserrado), and Floko’s Town, Yarnwullie, and Weala (Margibi).

Chiefs, chairpersons, women and youth leaders, teachers, health workers, elders, and persons with disabilities all took part with many encountering the Public Health Law for the first time.

Community leaders welcomed the project, stressing the need for homegrown solutions to health and youth challenges.

In New Kru Town, leaders recommended piloting activities in Block-D to maximize impact, while Yarnwullie and Weala pledged larger, more inclusive meetings. Despite logistical hurdles such as transport costs, participants showed readiness to mobilize and take ownership.


Between August 12 and 19, HMNI brought together women, youth, and religious and traditional leaders for three intensive workshops at the Liberia Business Association Headquarters in Paynesville.

Each session emphasized interactive learning using tools like the “Value Game” and “Law or No Law” to demystify the Public Health Bill and tackle issues ranging from sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) to public policy and stigma.


Women leaders during the engagement highlighted urgent SRHR concerns for mothers and girls and committed to spreading accurate information.

Youth delegates designed advocacy plans targeting schools and neighborhoods. Religious and traditional leaders agreed to use culturally sensitive approaches to promote dialogue.

“These were safe spaces where participants could challenge myths, learn, and build common ground,” said project lead Qweta C. Gbaie.

The project is already reshaping how communities view the Public Health Bill.
“This is my first time hearing about this law. I am happy to learn and share it with our young people so they can make better choices,” said an elder from Yarnwullie.

A female participant reflected, “I never knew the law protects our health this way. Now I can explain it to other women so they will not be afraid.”

By framing the bill around overall well-being, not just abortion, the project has reduced stigma, built trust, and encouraged collaboration.

The EchoChange Project is moving from workshops to action. Community representatives are preparing dialogues, engaging lawmakers, and sharing knowledge at the grassroots level.

HMNI has pledged continued support to ensure local voices influence the national debate.
“This project has shown us that when communities are informed, respected, and empowered, they are not just beneficiaries but leaders of change,” Gbaie said.

HMNI, a Liberian nonprofit, works to improve maternal, newborn, and community health through advocacy, education, and empowerment