©InfoFourteen years of brutal civil war had a devastating effect on the people of Liberia, with more than 150,000 people killed and many maimed both physically as well as mentally. At the end of the war in 2003, more than 100,000 ex-combatants were demobilised with more than 21,000 being child soldiers.
The British Red Cross is supporting the Liberian Red Cross to help children recover from the effects of the conflict through its child advocacy and rehabilitation (CAR) programme.
Rehabilitation
Each year, we are helping 300 children affected by war through the Liberian Red Cross CAR centres in Monrovia and Zwedru. So far, more than 1,500 children have been reached through the programme, which:
- helps children deal with their trauma through counselling and organised recreational and cultural activities
- re-integrates children into society by providing them with education and vocational training – to give them greater independence, increase household income and improve living conditions for them and their families or their own children
- creates child-friendly communities by increasing awareness of children’s rights and other issues – leading to a reduction in sexual violence, improved health and social welfare
- supports projects that will increase families and communities self-sufficiency, by strengthening their ability to earn a living
- strengthens the ability of the Liberian Red Cross to better address the needs of children affected by war.
See below for the stories of some of the people we are helping.
