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ANNEX 1. Introduction to Liberia and CARE Liberia. BACKGROUND OF LIBERIA.
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ANNEX 1 Introduction to Liberia and CARE Liberia
BACKGROUND OF LIBERIA Situated on the west coast of Africa with an area of 43,000 square miles; coastal area of 350 miles; bordering Liberia are Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north, Ivory Coast on the east and the Atlantic ocean on the south
BACKGROUND OF LIBERIA • Founded in 1822 by repatriated slaves from America • Coup d’etat of Samuel Doe: 1980 • Civil war from 1989 to 2003 • 15 political sub divisions - Counties headed by superintendents • 16 local languages/tribes. • Population - 3.5 million (51% of women)
Human Development Report 2009 Liberia’s human development index 2007 • Ranks 169 on HDI 2007 (higher than Guinea, Burkina, Mali, Sierra Leone and Niger) • Life expectancy at birth =57.9 years • Adult literacy rate (15yrs and above) is 55.5% • Combined gross enrolment ratio is 57.6% • GDP per capita is US$362 • Access to clean water = 64% • Children underweight for age (<5yrs) is 26%
BACKGROUND OF CARE LIBERIA • CARE Liberia began operations in September 2008 • Launched Food and Income security Program in February 2009. • The Program involves a long term commitment to specific marginalized and vulnerable groups to achieve lasting impact on a broad scale to address underlying causes of poverty and social injustice.
BACKGROUND OF CARE LIBERIA • CO portfolio is $4M; Grant from Howard G. Buffett Foundation and the European Commission. • 35 staff (20% female) in two offices (Monrovia and Gbarnga). • Key ministries that CARE Liberia collaborate with are MOA and MPW • We work with four local partners and one Government partner (CARI) through sub granting
Pillar of PRS (2008 – 2011) Pillar I: Security Pillar II: Economic Revitalization Pillar III: Governance and Rule of Law Pillar IV: Infrastructure and Basic Services
Formulation of CARE Liberia Food and Income Security Program • Meetings with CARE staffs, partners including government counterpart • Reflection on what Liberia looked like years back • Poverty analysis • What should look like
OUR DREAMS We live in a country where there is: • Free education for all; • Food security • Health for all • Easy access by roads and transport • Majority of the population employed • Justice • Transparency, accountability & good governance • Zero corruption • Gender equity, respect for one another, tolerance, trust and peace.
Threats to our dream • Climate change • Corruption • War and insecurity that relates to potential for political tension during elections or a coup d’etat or tension in neighboring countries. • Poor quality education • Disease (HIV/AIDS, cholera, flu strains)
Opportunities • Huge donor interest (USAID, EC, UNs, WB, AfDB, etc.) • Growing democratic system - Female leadership! • Abundant Natural Resources (rubber, timber, minerals, water, fisheries, crude oil, rainfall etc.) • Remittances - Diaspora ($65M, skills, investments)