MOVELiberia

MOVELiberia is a Not-For-Profit Non-Governmental Organization (local NGO). The Main Office of the Organization is located at Upper Caldwell (Sand Beach Road), Montserrado County, the Republic of Liberia. MOVELiberia was founded by Atty. David N. Katiah, Agnes T. .Tugbe, and Beatrice Deputy, in January 2017, and officially incorporated in the year 2018. MOVELiberia operates in Monrovia and its environs, as well as all parts of Liberia. Its works have no geographical restriction within the borders of Liberia. The formation of MOVELiberia was as a result of the quest and desire of its incorporators to make a difference in a society where there are many things that are just not right, ther... read more MOVELiberia is a Not-For-Profit Non-Governmental Organization (local NGO). The Main Office of the Organization is located at Upper Caldwell (Sand Beach Road), Montserrado County, the Republic of Liberia. MOVELiberia was founded by Atty. David N. Katiah, Agnes T. .Tugbe, and Beatrice Deputy, in January 2017, and officially incorporated in the year 2018. MOVELiberia operates in Monrovia and its environs, as well as all parts of Liberia. Its works have no geographical restriction within the borders of Liberia. The formation of MOVELiberia was as a result of the quest and desire of its incorporators to make a difference in a society where there are many things that are just not right, thereby creating a duty for all conscionable members of such society to proceed on the stage of national engagement and embark on the long and challenging journey of "Making a Difference". BACKGROUND Liberia is a third world country that is faced with many of the problems and challenges that are common to all third world countries, among them poverty, underdevelopment, gender-based violence, discrimination against women, unconducive learning environment for the girl child, inequitable distribution of the benefits reaped from myriads of natural resources, poorly developed agricultural sector, and a hugely challenged health sector. In Liberia's case, these problems and challenges were further aggravated by fifteen years of civil war during which the infrastructure of the country was almost entirely decimated by looters and hooligans. Postwar Liberian leaders have been struggling to restore damaged infrastructure, improve the existing ones, and develop new ones as little as the already challenged economy can afford. Access to basic and secondary health care services is still a major challenge. The Ministry of Health affirms this analysis by its averments in the 2018 - 2022 Family Planning Costed Plan, as follows: "Liberia's maternal mortality ratio is 1,072 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, with a total fertility rate (TFR) of 4.7 children per woman, while the modern contraceptive prevalence rate is at 19 percent. There has been gradual increase in the modern contraceptive prevalence rate for the past five years,, from 19 percent to 31 percent among people of reproductive age. This indicates that the country is exerting efforts toward the reduction of maternal mortality through the provision of family planning services as one of its key strategies. Liberia has a youthful population, with 63 percent of its 4.2 million inhabitants under age 25. Although the data shows an increase in the modern contraceptive prevalence rate, the high rate of teenage pregnancy (31 percent) is a risk factor for maternal mortality, and the development of obstetric fistulae still remains a major challenge. This can only be addressed by creating demand for rights-based family planning services, especially among adolescents (ages 10-24 years) as a cost-effective strategy for the reduction of teenage pregnancy and maternal mortality". The prevalence of HIV & AIDS is conservatively estimated to be around 5.2%, and lack of information and services such as care, support and counselling needs to be addressed urgently if the epidemic is to be controlled. Other factors such as growth in the commercial sex industry, limited condom use, and stigma and misconceptions further contribute to the rapid spread of the disease. There is a need for the uninterrupted procurement and supply of medical drugs. In addition, a functioning comprehensive surveillance of vaccine preventable and other diseases needs to be put in place to enhance the viability of the health care environment. An additional baggage attached to the health needs of the Liberian society is the adverse effect of female genital mutilation which, being an ancestral cultural practice, posts a very serious challenge to eradicate or minimize. The foregoing problems are compounded by an equally challenged justice system. Again, amid efforts by the Liberian Government and international donors and actors to improve the justice system, there continues to persist major challenges in addressing the issue of social justice and the rule of law. OUR INVOLVEMENT As hereinabove mentioned, we have embarked on the long challenging journey of making a difference in our society, where much still needs and remains to be done. In that regard, we engage in civil society works, including but not limited to the following: 1. human rights advocacy; 2. Civic education touching on health related issues (counseling services, free of charge, to rape victims and people living with HIV & AIDS); 3. Creation of awareness for the education of the girl child, and for HIV & AIDS testing; 4. Pre-testing and post-testing counselling for HIV & AIDS victims; 5. Community services aimed at creating awareness on the negative impact of gender-based violence and/or domestic violence; and 6. The rendition of free legal services to poor women, especially single mothers, girls and widows who cannot afford to pay for legal representation. Our team of workers comprises of experienced Liberians from different backgrounds and disciplines, and years of experience in their various disciplines. We put our country first in all that we do, inspired by the hope and propelled by the courage that Liberia, our common patrimony, can become like any developed African country. We hold in high esteem the United Nations Declaration of the Fundamental Human Rights, and we are open and absolutely receptive and always ready to work with other nationals, as long as our work in association will defend, safe guard and promote those fundamental human rights and world peace, as well as global health and social, educational, and infrastructural development. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF OUR ACTIVITIES 1. We provide free legal services to indigent women and children upon proof of indigence. 2. We engage in Public Advocacy and Conflict Resolution. 3. We engage in civil society works, including but not limited to human rights advocacy, civic education touching on health related issues and education of the girl child, community services and public awareness, democracy and good governance, etc.; 4. We engage in public advocacy for national reconciliation and conflict resolution; 5. We recruit students and other qualify Liberians and train them, and in turn use them to conduct Trainer-of-Trainers Learning Series aimed at providing civic education and awareness of specified target groups in communities relating to the fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia, the inheritance rights of women, customary and statutory laws regarding and relating to marriage, adoption and legitimization of children, the negative effects of concealing crime, with emphasis on domestic violence and statutory rape, etc. 6. We engage in activities aimed at protecting the rights of women, children and the vulnerable in society; 7. We engage in public awareness regarding the negative impact of gender-based violence and/or domestic violence, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs); 8. We render free legal services to indigent single mothers and widows, as well as disadvantaged children; 9. We render counselling services free of charge to rape victims and victims of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and teach community members to become agents of change in their communities by the impact of civic education. 10. We promote the cultural heritage of Liberia by engaging in activities that promote, teach and dramatize the culture of Liberia. Our Module Operandi For the minimization of cost, we have two categories of service providers: Those who are hired by us on a permanent basis and those who we have vetted and trained, and who we call upon on a "Call to Duty" basis for the implementation of identified projects and achievement of specific goals. "Call to Duty" members of our staff are compensated for their services at the conclusion of the project implemented, and are then discharged until called upon again. Such staffers are placed in the category of "Field Worker". The second category is that of those who are hired and given assignments at the main office. However, there are those staffers who are placed in both categories based on their engagements and experiences.