is a Liberian recognized entrepreneur-mogul and Founder/Chief Executive Officer of YONER Liberia, a Liberian social enterprise and innovative tech-education learning accelerator reimagining education and employability through social entrepreneurship and technology innovation. As CEO of YONER Liberia, he provides strategic leadership and vision to YONER and in the successful delivery of its mission including publications and training delivery. He also works closely with the Board of Directors, both by offering advice and support and by contributing to and implementing the organization’s strategic plan and related annual business plans. He leads, engages and develops relationships/partnerships with external stakeholders, including politicians, government officials, media representatives, funders and partners. He is also the inspirational lead voice for YONER, to raise its profile and to influence local and national strategy and policy.
On August 18, 2003, the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed by the warring parties of the Second Liberian Civil War. The August peace agreement marked the end to Liberia’s second civil war in less than a decade and the start of Liberia’s transition to a democracy. As part of this transition, Liberia needed to reconcile and reintegrate the child soldiers used in both conflicts. Jarius created YONER Liberia in direct response to this need, with an emphasis on entrepreneurship as a tool for reintegration, economic development and regional stability. YONER Liberia was primarily created to reunite communities, and provide support for child victims and soldiers created by both civil wars. Part of this mission involves training young Liberians on how to become entrepreneurs and drive Liberia’s growth and development in the 21st Century.
Over the past 13 years, Jarius has been using social entrepreneurial education and innovation as a tool for youth empowerment, reintegration, economic development and regional stability to build resilience among youth and communities in the face of present and future threats. To date, YONER Liberia has empowered over 100,000 young people in Liberia, including young women and disadvantaged youth. Many of his projects have sought to create jobs and livelihoods, reconcile, reunite and reintegrate former child soldiers with their families and into communities. YONER Liberia’s programs also equip students and young people to learn and apply science, social entrepreneurship and technology skills in order to use these skills necessary to solve problems in their communities, advance themselves and live a quality life.
To his credit, he is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed Liberian youth change-maker and local community organizer and recognized entrepreneur-mogul. Jarius holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management. He’s a USAID Liberia Development Award 2019 Recipient (Entrepreneur of the Year), an Official Innovation Officer of the US Department of State’s Office for GIST Initiative in Liberia and a US Department of State’s IVLP & GIST Bootcamp Alumnus. He’s also a Recipient of The West African Regional Magazine’s 2018 “Young Achiever Award”, a Proud Obama Leader and an UNLEASH Global Top Talent for SDGs in Liberia.
Jarius’ mission is to build an ecosystem that would facilitate and equip every young person with employable entrepreneurial and technological skills and tools; connection, resources and opportunity to become productive and independent.
Finally, Jarius had traveled, lived, and has a strong presence and impact in over 20 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States of America, inspiring and empowering thousands of young people, and awakening them to their full latent changemaking abilities – combining the power of motivational and storytelling talks.