My name is Robert Smallman Cisco, and my name means "bright splendor" or "radiance." Growing up in Liberia, I witnessed firsthand the harsh realities of poverty. I often wondered how a land so rich in natural resources, culture, and strong family traditions could be so impoverished.

I quickly learned that wallowing in misery wasn’t an option. In Liberia, you press through the challenges of the day, thanking God for another day of life and the opportunity to improve. From an early age, I knew my heart was for service, and I committed myself to doing all I could to help others.

As I matured, I was determined to change the narrative in my life. In 2009, I attended the police academy at the United Nations Headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia, and in 2010, I graduated and became a Liberian National Police Officer. I’ve served as an LNP officer for over 14 years, gaining extensive experience in community policing, domestic violence investigations, conflict management, advanced communication, and security.

With a passion for knowledge, I pursued further education in Criminal Justice and Public Administration at the University of Liberia, unaware that my studies would eventually lead me to a new avenue of service: missions work.

For years, I watched missionaries from around the world bring aid to Liberia. While their efforts were appreciated, something was different when a group of missionaries, including Ms. Calandra, came in 2022. My fellow officers and I felt a deeper connection with this group. Their compassion, dignity, and respect left a lasting impression.

From that first visit, Ms. Calandra and I maintained open communication, discussing ways to better serve the people of Liberia. It was through these conversations that I realized I could do more than just serve as a police officer. My dreams of making a broader impact reignited, and my passion for missions work grew.

Since 2022, Ms. Calandra and I have shared a unified vision: to provide hope and tangible resources to the people of Liberia. Poverty and unemployment continue to plague our community, leading many citizens, especially children, into crime, sex trafficking, and starvation. The Bright Business and Resource Center is our way of offering a ray of hope, giving people not a handout, but a hand up.

We are both passionate, excited, and fully committed to a life of service, ensuring that the people of Liberia receive the support they need to survive and thrive.

info@bbrcliberia.org