Rebuilding Young Lives In Liberia
In Liberia in West Africa, the British Red Cross is helping children who were affected by 14 years of civil war to rebuild their lives.
The British Red Cross is supporting the Liberian Red Cross’ Child Advocacy and Rehabilitation programme (CAR), which is providing 150 children, aged ten to 18, with food, counselling and educational support for one year.
Paul Jenkins, expert on West Africa at the British Red Cross, says: “The programme gives children an opportunity to return to the education that was taken away from them.
“It also gives them a chance to develop skills such as welding and shoemaking to become economically self-reliant or at least contribute to the economy of their families. The most important thing, however, is that the programme helps them to overcome the trauma that they have experienced and rebuild their self-esteem.”
The first CAR centre was opened in Monrovia in January. The idea is to expand the programme into other areas outside of the capital, helping many more children who have been caught up in the conflict.
Paul adds: “Liberia has struggled to overcome the divisions that 14 years of civil war has created and it is only if we can help the adults of tomorrow that the country is going to have a bright economic future.”
This article was very kindly donated by The British Red Cross.
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