Africare-Liberia

Africare's History in Liberia

Africare began its work in Liberia in 1992 under a resettlement support program funded by the United States Agency for International Development that delivered agricultural seeds, tools and training to thousands of war-displaced families over a period of four year in Nimba, Cape Mount and Montserrado counties.  In 1996-97, Africare expanded that support to refugees returning from Cote d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone back to Bassa and Margibi counties.

In September 1998, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded Africare a three-year, $1,000,000 Community Health Initiative (CHI) grant to work with local partners in Liberia to improve the health status of women and children in Bong, Lofa and Nimba Counties. Insecurity and shortage of qualified personnel delayed project start until 1999, and limited Africare’s work to Bong and Nimba Counties. USAID incrementally increased the grant to a total of US$2.8 million. Operating within the framework set forth by the Ministry of Health for international organizations working in Liberia, Africare provided technical, training and financial support to local NGOs for their work with clinic staff and communities.  The three principal NGOs with whom Africare worked over a period of five years were the Breastfeeding Advocacy Group (BAG), the Christian Health Association of Liberia (CHAL), and the Family Planning Association of Liberia (FPAL).

These two projects laid the groundwork for Africare’s work in Liberia.  Rural development and agriculture and health are the two areas that are most important for Africare-Liberia, and Africare continues to be involved in the follow-on projects that evolved from these initial efforts. 

 

Africare-Liberia Today

Africare-Liberia’s main areas of assistance are in health and agriculture. 

In health, the work has moved from providing basic services to rural community clinics to improving and expanding the quality of services and focusing more resources on high impact interventions that improve health

In agriculture, Africare’s work has evolved from emergency assistance to development. Five years ago, Africare provided emergency assistance and food for vulnerable populations, and now the work in agriculture is beginning to focus on increasing productivity and increasing access to markets and improving rural livelihoods.

 

Country Profile: Liberia

REGION: West Africa
CAPITAL CITY: Monrovia
POPULATION: 3,685,076
LAND AREA: 96,320 sq km (59,850 sq miles)

Liberia was founded during the first half of the 19th century by freed black slaves from the United States and has remained independent ever since. Tragically, however, civil war engulfed Liberia from 1989 until 2003, with only brief interludes of peace. Some 250,000 people were killed. Nearly two million fled their homes to escape the violence. And war left the country in ruins — roads, buildings, health clinics, communications networks, farms and factories were almost totally destroyed. Yet postwar recovery is progressing. Africa's first elected female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, won Liberia's presidency in late 2005 and took office in 2006. Political stability and economic revival are among the new government's top priorities. Liberia is richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests and a climate favorable to agriculture. Raw timber and rubber have been among the country's primary exports.
           

Country Stats Life expectancy: 44.7 years (USA: 77.9) Under-5 child mortality: 235/1,000 live births (USA: 7/1,000) HIV prevalence, ages 15-49: [1.4 - 2.0]% (USA: [0.4 - 1.0]%) Physicians per 100,000 people: 3 (USA: 256) People undernourished: 50% (USA: 0%) People with access to safe drinking water: 61% (USA: 100%) Adult literacy: 51.9% (USA: 99%) Gross National Income per Capita: $500 (USA: $41,890) People living on less than $1 a day: Not available (USA: 0%) (HIV prevalence statistics, UNAIDS. All other statistics, 2007/2008 Human Development Report, UNDP)

 

(Updated, June 2010)