Published: October 31, 2025
By Blamo N. Toe
Community leaders of the New Kru Town Jamboree receive 100 bags of cement from U.S.-based Liberian Richard Wah Sio for the Trowin–Mombo Bridge Project.
MONROVIA — A U.S.-based Liberian and proud son of New Kru Town, Richard Wah Sio, has donated 100 bags of cement to support the completion of a long-delayed bridge connecting the Trowin and Mombo Town Communities, a project initiated by the New Kru Town Jamboree Liberia but halted due to funding constraints.
Presenting the donation on behalf of Mr. Sio on Thursday, October 30, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New Kru Town Jamboree, G. Baccus Karpeh, said the contribution marks a “turning point” for the stalled infrastructure project.
“When we started this jamboree earlier this year, we launched a community project endorsed during our previous program, a bridge that would connect Trowin and Mombo Town,” Karpeh said. “The initial cost was estimated at about US$20,000, but we managed to raise only US$5,000, which wasn’t enough to complete it. Through outreach, we located one of our eminent sons, Mr. Richard Sio, who decided to step in with this generous donation.”
Karpeh described the gesture as a symbol of civic pride and commitment to the development of the Borough of New Kru Town. “This is not just about cement,” he said. “It’s about showing that progress begins when citizens take ownership of their community’s future.”
A Timely Intervention
Receiving the donation on behalf of the Jamboree, Chairman Andrew Togbaseh expressed gratitude to Mr. Sio, calling the gesture “a blessing at a critical moment” when construction had nearly stalled due to financial difficulties.
“This contribution is timely,” Togbaseh said. “People think the Jamboree is only about celebrations and entertainment, but this proves that we are serious about tangible community impact. When the bridge is completed, it will stand as evidence of what our unity and collective effort can achieve.”
He assured residents that the project would soon resume and encouraged more Liberians, both at home and abroad, to emulate Sio’s example.
Restoring Hope Through Collective Action
Ezekiel Gittens, Secretary of the New Kru Town Jamboree, commended both the leadership and the donor, describing Sio as “a man who remembers his roots.”
“The bridge we are constructing will solve a major traffic problem in the infantry area,” Gittens explained. “Once completed, vehicles and pedestrians will move freely. Our engineers have already tested the foundation, and the work will continue immediately with this donation.”
Gittens also urged residents to remain patient, emphasizing that meaningful development takes time and sustained collaboration. “Last year, we raised less than US$3,000, but we started something because we believed in the vision. Now others, like Mr. Sio, have seen that effort and are helping to make it real.”
Community Spirit Rekindled
The Trowin–Mombo Bridge Project has long been seen as vital to easing movement and boosting local commerce in New Kru Town. Its completion is expected to improve access to markets, schools, and health facilities while fostering stronger community ties.
Residents say Sio’s intervention has revived optimism and reminded them of the power of diaspora engagement. “This is how true patriotism looks,” one community elder remarked. “When our people abroad remember home, development follows.”
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