tourism &
Economic Development
“Culture is who we are, and what shapes our identity. Placing culture at the heart of development policies is the only way to ensure a human-centered, inclusive and equitable development.””
In 2019, À Dyà Zù-Zù initiated the cultural tourism and economic development program in collaboration with communities and the local and tribal government in Grand Cape Mount County, Liberia. Through mentorship and partnership with local and traditional communities that seek to preserve and promote their unique cultural heritage and pass down critical knowledge and skills to the next generation, the program supports the development of a cultural tourism infrastructure that provides economic growth opportunities while reinvesting revenue back into critical community-driven development projects.
Phase 1 of the cultural tourism and economic development program includes the following objectives:
Register the village as an official business in the Republic of Liberia and work with the community to establish a bank account.
Design and construction of a performance amphitheater, workshop space, and marketplace.
Provide a borehole and sanitation system.
Invest in low-technology equipment for traditional skills (weaving looms, pottery wheels, carvings, etc.).
Training and education focused on developing traditional skills in youth, women, and community members.
Provide technical training and mentorship in the areas of financial literacy and business administration.
Additional objectives in Phase 1 and Phase 2 include:
Support market development and the trade of traditional cultural and creative products (within Liberia and globally).
Guide and mentor community-led development projects: agriculture, health, education, housing, technology, etc.
Organize regular excursions and tourism trips to village projects in Grand Cape Mount.
Grow opportunities for local and international marketing of heritage sites and cultural tourism experiences that benefit rural Liberian communities.