In 2010, Liberia was rebuilding after the civil war. Terrible statistics were everywhere, visible reminders that war had lived with us for so long: teen pregnancy and HIV rates were soaring, jobs were nonexistent and many young people were medicating their pain with drugs, alcohol and violence.  

I was desperate to make an impact, but I had no idea how or where to begin. Leadership training was expensive, and earning a certificate felt out of reach.  

It was during this earnest search for direction that I came across a notice on my college campus about the Global Leadership Summit at Providence Baptist Church in Monrovia. I knew I had to be there; I needed something to kindle this dream inside me.  

The Turning Point

Attending the Global Leadership Summit in 2010 became the turning point of my journey. My mindset shifted from wanting change to understanding that I could take responsibility to make it happen. I learned that I could use whatever was in my hands to uplift those around me.  

With this vision, I launched a free vocational skills training program for vulnerable women and girls. Many of them were survivors of conflict, poverty and broken homes. They needed more than encouragement; they needed practical skills that could restore dignity and open doors to income.  

The need was overwhelming. As I worked with the women, I began to see the deeper challenges they faced. One of these was the lack of access to affordable menstrual products, which personally affected my 16-year-old cousin. It forced many girls to miss school, interrupting their education and shaping their life trajectories.  

Their stories led to the birth of Payless Bana Innovations, a social venture dedicated to ending period poverty by transforming banana plant waste into sustainable menstrual pads and other eco–friendly products. And what started as a small vocational program evolved into a nationally recognized initiative that works with women, girls, farmers and communities across Liberia.  

The Impact

Through Payless, we have raised over $70,000 in grants and support, empowered countless women and contributed to environmental sustainability by reducing banana tree waste. We have also launched a second product line of plantain chips, which adds value to banana and plantain harvests. We have also established a banana farm with 1,000 trees to support local production and strengthen our supply chain.  

The impact has been significant: women earning income, girls returning to school with dignity, smallholder farmers gaining new markets, children and adults accessing nutritious snacks and communities experiencing practical solutions made from their own local resources.  

The Summit Was the Catalyst

The Summit didn’t just inspire me. It equipped me to build something that is transforming lives, creating opportunities and writing a new chapter for women and girls in Liberia. The Summit was also a kind of spiritual birthplace for me, as it brought me to Providence Baptist Church. It gifted me relationships that have provided me with spiritual guidance and inspiration.  

Thankfully, in the aftermath of war, the Church became a source of revival and hope — offering motivation, inspiration and leadership training. And through that, Payless has grown beyond a business; it has become a platform for economic empowerment, innovation and hope.