Why Liberia? 14 years of devastating civil war in Liberia ended in 2003, leaving infrastructure destroyed and the economy shattered. The country was only starting to recover when it was hit by Ebola in 2014. Concern has been there since 1996, alternating between development work and emergency aid.
The needs are enormous in Liberia. 51% of the population lives below the national poverty line. Some 35.5% of children under the age of five are stunted; 33% of females and 13% of males have never attended any school; and only 58.5% of people have access to protected wells.
In total, 23% of rural households rely on unprotected water sources; malaria is a major killer of young children and both gender inequality and gender-based violence (GBV) are widespread.
The education system in Liberia was really affected by the 14-year civil war. In essence, an entire generation of children missed out on any education.
Nutrition training
We provided nutrition training to 2,275 mothers in the last year across 91 Mother Groups, and we provided support for the establishment of kitchen gardens.
Savings and loans
WASH committees
Our response in post-civil war Liberia focuses on not only helping those in dire need, but also supporting communities to take control of their own lives.
Today, over 150 million children are malnourished and this contributes to three million child deaths each year. Our new exhibition shares the stories of the individuals behind these statistics. Here are some of the images and stories from Liberia that will feature.
