04/10/2003

In Boon Town, Liberia, close to the border of Côte d'Ivoire, there were about 1,500 refugees in a Liberian village of 700 people. There is a lot of illness in the village, such as malnourishment, respiratory problems, and malaria. One young woman, no more than 17 years old, recently gave birth to the baby pictured here. The baby was two months premature, but doing fine after the first 1½ months of life in war-torn Liberia. However, RI is deeply concerned about vulnerable refugees such as this baby because the recent attacks in eastern Liberia have disrupted the provision of healthcare and other aid.