The Rights and Rice Foundation (RRF) is a non-governmental organisation that was established in 2007 with the overall aim of working for social justice and economic empowerment in Liberian society.
The RRF vision is of “an equitable society characterised by respect for the rule of law and equal opportunities for all.” RRF programming purposely links human and civil rights to economic, social and cultural rights. Its strategy is based on community empowerment and helping people discover their human talents and potentials, identify natural resources and fully participate in making decisions and taking positive actions that will transform their lives, their communities and the country.
Peacebuilding work of the RRF
Since September 2007, RRF have been implementing a 'Crisis Prevention, Peace Building and Reconciliation Program' in 147 communities, facilitating the establishment of community peace structures and training members of those structures for local conflict resolution and peace building initiatives.
From June 2009 to the present, RRF implemented three projects, under its democracy and good governance promotion project. The first projects “Empowering Rural Communities for the Promotion of Democracy and Good Governance” works with 30 communities in three districts of Lofa County, and is aimed at giving additional knowledge, deepening understanding on issues of, and increasing participation of rural residents in, decision making processes, as well as helping to consolidate democratic practices and instituting good governance in Liberia.
The second phase developed the support of marginalised sections of the population of Foya, Kolahun and Vaahun districts of Lofa County. Female youth and organisations devoted to disability were targeted in order to further strengthen their capacity for participation in local governance arrangement, and further increase the voices of women, promote youth participation and increase civil awareness in various communities.
The current phase of this project will involve 2500 residents of six districts of Lofa and Gbarpolu counties of Liberia, for increased rights based awareness and greater participation of rural population in the formulation and accountability of local and national policies and programmes designed for them.
Since 2010, RRF has implemented a project on Natural Resource Governance in nine artisanal mining communities. The project was designed as a practical and direct response to some of the critical issues affecting the participation of community residents in designing programmes to help address their developmental needs. It will help foster the participation of communities in keeping with a new strategy of government to generate benefits from social development funds of major investments in natural resources for the benefit of communities in mining areas. The project is also in line with the government of Liberia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS), which promotes local participation in implementing the key pillars of the strategy. The project is targeting an estimated 9 mining districts in Bomi, Cape Mount and Bomi.
RRF is also a component of the Natural Resource Governance project, Literacy and Numeracy for rural women, which encourages women’s participation in community leadership and local development planning processes at the community level. The project targets 135 illiterate women. The literacy circle will help women acquire basic reading and writing skills, which will give added value to their lives, providing them with the courage to participate in development initiatives on an equal footing to their male counterparts, increasing their participation and strengthening their decision making analysis skills.
Since 2008, RRF has worked in twenty communities in Foya Districts, Lofa county, providing literacy and numeracy skill training for women that to date benefits a total amount of 600 women who had no formal schooling, sponsored by the German Government through GTZ project, support to rehabilitation of livelihood of Poor Rural Household in Foya (SRFL) Lofa.
Donors and partners
RRF has received support from many organisations, including:
- GIZ –German International Cooperation, Value Chain Approach,
- GIZ –German International Cooperation, Natural Resource Governance,
- Trust Africa and Humanity United,
- National Elections Commission of Liberia,
- United Nations Development Programme in Liberia,
- Lester Fund, Global Giving UK.
