Educational Reforestation in War Torn Liberia

We are a little late submitting this report because this time Neabei was able to get out in the field to illustrate what has happened to the pristine Liberian forests and continues to happen.

As you know the research forest at the University of Liberia’s extension campus in Bensonville was the site of destruction during the many years of civil war in the country. The refugees camped near the university and out of necessity cut all of the trees, many rare and precious woods, to use for charcoal to cook. Neabei’s short, image illustrated report shows the damage that continues to tak place in the country. That’s why we are so excited about the donations we’ve been receiving for this project so that we can…GET PLATING IT! It will give a great boost to this war torn and disease plagued country, they deserve it. Neabei’s report follows:

This summary report depicts some of the numerous ways in which the forests of Liberia are being depleted by the unlawful operations of citizens and even foreigners in the name of survivability.

The forest are becoming very thin as the trees are being cut down for charcoal burning and illegal pit sawing activities.

Subsistent rotational farming activities also have great part to play in the depletion of the Liberian forests whereas there is no reforestation strategy at the level of individual subsistent farmers.

I was on a tour in some of the forest areas to see how the actions of illicit forest families and individuals are depleting the forests. 

Hi everyone...I wanted to give a little preview to this progress report. I was traveling and consequently unable to submit this report before the deadline ran out. I knew that it would have to be about the deadly Ebola outbreak in Liberia since my project partner is experiencing it first hand. Talk about synchronicity...yesterday as I sat in the hotel restaurant eating my breakfast Neabei Toah sent me this message and the following story, what better progress report, it fell into my hands. Thank you my friend..."Hello Roberta, how are you doing? I am feeling so guilty that since the Ebola crisis I have not taken any action. This is what I am planning:"

Problem Statement

The Ebola virus entered into Liberia from neighboring Guinea and Sierra Leone in March, 2014 and has taken away more than 4000 people many of whom were bread winners. The virus continues to take away several lives and no one can predict when the situation will subside as the Center for Disease Control has estimated the effect of the virus by January, 2015 at 1.4 million people to be victimized.

The evil nature of this disease continues to diversify as a tree with several branches. Among many negative impacts of the Ebola virus is the rapid promotion of grudge and hatred among family members, neighbors, and community dwellers. Persons or families victimized by the virus are often ostracized by others and subjected to total neglect and loneliness. It is quite unfortunate that the situation depicts that people would behave in such a way to prevent themselves from getting infected. Some clothes and other household materials of families of Ebola victims are often burned without being replenish.

Intervention Strategy

As we believe that love and compassion can help heal the broken lives of families whose members have been lost to the situation as our intervention, it is therefore glaring that our intervention could reunite community members that have fallen apart in hearts due to this situation and minimum aid could be contributed to help them continue with live. In so doing, there is a need to galvanize ourselves and likeminded people to raise support, mobilize volunteers, used household materials, and finance to quickly respond to these needs.

The World Kindness Liberia is in the process of receiving legal status from the government of Liberia. The organization when established will work with churches, communities and other stakeholders for the purpose of demonstrating kindness.

Beneficiaries

Directly and indirectly, several individuals, families as well as the nation stand to reap the benefits of our program. By this establishment, I will have a job to do, families that have lost breadwinners to this ugly situation will receive small aid and individuals and communities will begin to coexist mutually once again.