PAYNESVILLE, Montserrado – The Paynesville City Corporation announced that it will shortly begin to combat flooding, disease outbreaks, and other disasters under the 100 Resilient Cities program.

The program, which is sponsored by the US-based Rockefeller Foundation, is “dedicated to helping cities around the world become more resilient to the physical, social and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century,” according to the organization’s website.

The outsized impact of the recent Ebola outbreak in the city and the region will likely mean that Paynesville’s participation in the program will be geared towards strengthening the resiliency of its health sector.

Paynesville’s Public Relations Director, Jani Jallah, said the city’s selection for the program is a huge achievement.

Jani Jallah, Public Relations Director, Paynesville City Corporation. Photo: Gbatemah Senah

Jallah said the program would fund a chief resilience officer who would work with the city to build it up to a more resilient level. “This is in order to strategize on how we permanently solve problems of flooding and [disease] outbreaks, among others,” she said.

According to Jallah, the chief resilience officer would be able to access funding for projects from a US$165 million pool that is open to all member cities.

“Hopefully by August and September, we should have a [chief] resilience officer in Paynesville,” she added.

She said Paynesville was among 37 cities that were selected from 338 cities that applied for the third cohort of the program.

“The selection of Paynesville among several competitors was based on its resilience, management, leadership, and willpower, among key things that were required for qualification,” she said.

Cities that are part of the network are expected to receive resources necessary for developing a roadmap to resilience. The support provided include financial and logistical guidance for innovation, expert support for the development of a robust resilience strategy, access to solutions, and membership within a global network of member cities.

Featured photo by Gbatemah Senah