The Executive Director of Divine Intervention Support & Services Incorporated, Emmanuel Diabolo, has called for a national shift toward entrepreneurship development, warning that Liberia's growing number of graduates will continue to face unemployment unless education is linked to enterprise creation and self-employment opportunities.
Speaking during the institution's second graduation ceremony held over the weekend in Gbarnga, Bong County, Mr. Diabolo outlined an ambitious vision aimed at empowering Liberians through entrepreneurship, social enterprise development, economic empowerment, and skills training.
He described Divine Intervention Support & Services Incorporated as a Liberian organization established to support individuals, institutions, and community organizations through research, mentorship, coaching, gender empowerment, agriculture development, and social behavior change initiatives.
"We believe that what you do not know, you cannot solve," Mr. Diabolo said, emphasizing the importance of research and innovation in addressing Liberia's development challenges. He noted that the organization was created to help transform knowledge and skills into practical enterprises capable of creating jobs and improving livelihoods.
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Reflecting on Liberia's post-war recovery period, Mr. Diabolo said international support helped establish thousands of local and international non-governmental organizations across the country. According to figures he cited from the NGO Unit of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, between 2009 and 2017, approximately 581 international organizations and more than 5,000 local organizations were established to help address social and economic problems.
However, he expressed concern that many of those organizations have since ceased operations due to sustainability challenges.
"Most of these organizations started with good intentions, but many failed because they lacked long-term sustainability plans," he said. "When donor funding ended, many of them collapsed, and their dreams and expectations died with them."
Mr. Diabolo argued that the lessons learned from the NGO sector should also be applied to Liberia's education system, where thousands of graduates leave universities each year without clear employment prospects.
He noted that Liberia currently has more than 80 higher learning institutions producing between 15,000 and 20,000 graduates annually. Between 2015 and 2025, he estimated that more than 150,000 professionals graduated from institutions across the country.
Despite these achievements, he said employment opportunities have not expanded at the same pace.
According to Mr. Diabolo, only a small percentage of graduates are able to secure formal jobs, leaving thousands of educated young people struggling to enter the workforce.
"The more graduations take place, the more unemployment appears to increase," he said. "We must begin preparing students to become entrepreneurs and job creators before they leave school."
He stressed that entrepreneurship education should become a central component of higher education, enabling graduates to establish businesses, solve community problems, and create employment opportunities for others.
As part of efforts to understand the challenges facing local institutions, Divine Intervention & Services Incorporated conducted assessments across Bong County. The research found that many community organizations continue to struggle because they depend heavily on external funding and often lack sustainability strategies.
Mr. Diabolo said the organization's goal is not to compete with existing institutions but to complement their efforts by strengthening their capacity and helping them develop sustainable business and operational models.
To achieve its objectives, Divine Intervention has established partnerships with international and local stakeholders. Mr. Diabolo highlighted collaboration with entrepreneurship programs linked to the International Labour Organization (ILO), as well as partnerships with experts and training institutions in Nairobi, Kenya.
He disclosed that several Liberian professionals are currently receiving certified trainer instruction and will return to Liberia to help deliver internationally recognized entrepreneurship training programs.
The organization is also working closely with Bong County authorities and seeking partnerships with Bong County University to integrate entrepreneurship development into academic programs.
According to Mr. Diabolo, universities must do more than produce graduates; they must also equip students with the mindset and practical skills needed to succeed in business and innovation.
"We want students to leave university with the ability to create opportunities for themselves and others," he said.
Since launching its entrepreneurship initiative, Divine Intervention has trained 82 professionals through the Generate Your Business (GYB) program. Participants developed multiple business plans, producing a total of 219 business ideas that organizers believe have the potential to address local challenges while creating jobs and stimulating economic growth.
Mr. Diabolo said many of the proposed enterprises focus on solving community problems in areas such as sanitation, agriculture, social services, and small business development.
While celebrating the achievements of participants, he acknowledged that the organization faces significant challenges, including limited training facilities, inadequate equipment, and insufficient operational resources.
He appealed to government institutions, development partners, private sector actors, and philanthropists to support the expansion of entrepreneurship education and training in Liberia.
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Among the organization's future plans is the establishment of a microfinance initiative that would provide startup capital to graduates of its entrepreneurship programs. The funds would be offered as loans to help entrepreneurs launch businesses based on their approved business plans and gradually repay the financing.
The initiative is intended to promote sustainability, strengthen local enterprises, and reduce dependence on donor assistance.
Mr. Diabolo said the success of such programs will require collaboration among government agencies, educational institutions, development organizations, and the private sector.
He further emphasized that entrepreneurship development aligns with the Government of Liberia's ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) 2025-2029, which seeks to promote economic growth, job creation, and private sector expansion.
"Together, we can build a society that promotes sustainable economic growth, creates jobs, strengthens the private sector, and improves the lives of our people," he said.
The graduation ceremony concluded with the recognition of participants who successfully completed entrepreneurship and business development training programs. Organizers expressed optimism that the graduates and their business ideas will contribute to economic transformation in Bong County and across Liberia.
