I spent the first three months in 2016 volunteering in a small rural community in Liberia and I am going back to volunteer for 12 months in 2017. The projects I hope to support in 2017 are focused on Education, Trauma Healing Training and Social Enterprise and are based in Saclepea Mission Station, Saclepea, Nimba County, North East of Liberia. This Station has a health clinic and a local rural school.

Liberia was in civil war between 1989 and 1996 and again in 1999 to 2003. At least 250,000 people were murdered, 50,000 of them children and 1/3 of the population fled, child soldiers were widely used. The years of trauma experienced by families torn apart by bloodshed, rapes, kidnappings has left communities broken. Infrastructure was badly damaged during the war years. There is limited running water and electricity throughout Liberia, however generators supply some electricity.
Current stats show that life expectancy in Liberia is 57. There is 51% of the population under the age of 18 that are orphans and 40% of children under the age of 5 are suffering malnutrition.
The school has a student population of approx 290 attending from preschool (age 3) right up to leaving cert level (age 18). Due to the Ebola outbreak there are a large number of students older than they should be in each grade as schools closed down during that period and they have returned to finish their education. In 2014/15 the Ebola virus infected 10,672 and 5,000 died leaving many families to care for orphans in their community. Nimba County is situated on the Guinea border were Ebola was prevalent and the region was badly affected.

I have the opportunity to help a nation rebuild itself and you can help too by supporting the projects. For more information check out my webpage www.pilgrimsprogresstoliberia.com