Refugees International: Reports: Visual Mission: Liberian Returnees Need Help to Rebuild Their Communities

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Visual Mission: Liberian Returnees Need Help to Rebuild Their Communities

Hundreds of thousands of former refugees and internally displaced people have returned to their home villages after the peace agreement which ended 14 years of war in Liberia. Refugees International visited Tobogissizu village in Lofa county, north-west Liberia, and heard from the community about the difficulties that they were facing in rebuilding their lives.

Advocate Melanie Teff, accompanied by Peacebuilding Program Office Mark Malan, just returned from an assessment of the humanitarian and security situation in Liberia.

Liberia 2007: A mother supports her family

08/24/2007
Everyone was forced to flee the Tobogissizu during the war, so on return they have had to start from scratch, restarting their agricultural activities on land which had been overgrown during the war years. They are short of food up until the expected rice harvest in October.

To feed her three children, this young woman, who is bringing up her family alone, has to work on day farming contracts. She showed us the machete cuts on her hands from accidents at work. There are many vulnerable old and disabled people in the community who cannot work, and they have to be supported by the rest of the community.

The World Food Program has been providing emergency assistance to Liberia, but its appeal for 2007 is only 21%-funded.