Beat Ebola By Building Accountability in Liberia

After a century of turbulent governance, 14 years of civil war, and a deadly Ebola crisis, life in Liberia is very challenging. Disputes are common in the low-income, high-density townships of Monrovia, and the formal justice systems requires more time and money than most community members can afford. Our Community Justice Teams (CJTs) work hard every day to bring these communities access to justice. These committed, volunteer mediators solve cases ranging from domestic violence to unpaid debt.

In one particularly memorable case this year, a group of young teenagers visited the CJT’s office with an eight-year-old girl who they’d found carrying a heavy load of cassava on her head and crying. They found out she was selling food on the busy streets to supplement her aunt’s income while schools were canceled during the Ebola crisis. The CJTs visited her aunt and told her of the dangers of the situation, advising her to stop the practice. She listened carefully and accepted their counsel.

This month, we brought in an independent researcher from Auburn University to assess the impact of the Community Justice Team in Logan Town. During her interviews, community members described how the mediators are trusted “peace agents.” They said: “with the court and the Police, you don’t get a fair trial; a person who has money to pay the police and court will be right”. The CJTs “saved our time. You don’t have to leave job, it saves money. They don’t put money first, they can follow up.” Learn more in this short new video about the CJTs in Logan Town.

Your generous donation has helped make this impact possible.

With three new cases of Ebola in Liberia, tensions are high and we’re eager to continue this work of building peace and accountability. With your support, we hope to further improve the effectiveness of the CJTs efforts by providing them more efficient means of transportation and communication as they travel around the community and coordinate with the local courts and police.

This is an opportunity not only to help Liberia beat Ebola, but also to also build lasting trust between citizens so that they can work together to solve future problems that arise and together hold their government accountable. Please consider giving a recurring donation to make these efforts sustainable, and encourage your friends and family to give to this cause as well on Giving Tuesday!