UN Helps Rural Farmers Climb Out of Poverty

In an effort to alleviate poverty among farmers in Liberia, the UN International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) has agreed to loan $24.9 million. The Liberian government will utilize the funding for the "tree crop revitalization support project". By improving cocoa and coffee production, this program will effect more than 15,000 smallholder cocoa and coffee famers in the region.

The funds will mainly be distributed in Northern Liberia, where most of the cocoa and coffee farmers live. By reviving 50% of the existing plantations, this program will increase the income of cocoa and coffee producers. IFAD has already invested up to $38.3million throughout five different Liberia targeted programs. It is because of UN aid given towards alleviating poverty in Liberia, that 30,000 households have benefitted.

-Akshika Patel
                                                                                                                    SOURCE: UN News Centre

Three Women Received The Nobel Peace Prize For 2011

Last Friday was a good day for women empowerment as this year’s Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to three women for their nonviolent role in promoting peace, democracy and gender equality. These women are President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, the first woman to be elected President in modern Africa, her countrywoman Leymah Gbowee, who is a peace activist, and Tawakkol Karman of Yemen, a pro-democracy campaigner.

These women were acknowledged for their outstanding contribution in bringing change for good in their respective nations. Thorbjorn Jagland, a former Norwegian prime minister who heads the Oslo-based Nobel committee read the citation in announcing the winners, “We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society.”

These three women were the first to win the prize in 7 years since Wangari Maathai of Kenya won in 2004. Jagland also described the prize as “a very important signal to women all over the world.” Most of the recipients in the award’s 110-year history have been men, so this award will inspire women all over the world to fight for their rights and causes.

Congratulations to these wonderful women for their excellent win!

-Nisha Noor

SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES

Liberia Makes Further Advances for Women

In recent history, Liberia has made great strides for the rights of women. In 2003, The Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace movement helped end the Second Liberian Civil War through nonviolent political protest and diplomacy.

Then, in 2005, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected Liberia's first female President. Sirleaf is the first modern, and currently the only elected, female head of state in Africa. She was named by The Economist as the best president Liberia has ever had, and has been noted recently in both TIME and Newsweek as one of the world's best leaders.

Recently, Liberian Minister of Justice Christiana Tah announced to the UN Human Rights Council that Liberia is continuing to improve the lives of its female population through improvement of policies that officials hope will enhance the capacities of female producers and entrepreneurs. The best example of such policies are reforms to Liberia's Inheritance Law, which aim to increase the property rights of married women.

These advances for women will hopefully serve as a model for other African nations, whose struggles for women's rights have not always been as successful.

-Elizabeth Newton

SOURCES: The Economist, TIME, Newsweek, United Nations Radio

Medical Relief for West Africa

For many people throughout the world, access to even the most basic healthcare is impossible. For children and adults suffering from disabilities, this lack of access makes small health issues much larger as they go untreated. Along the coast of West Africa, the Africa Mercy ship provides specialized surgery to the poor. Part of the non-denominational global non-profit organization Mercy Ships, the ship has docked at countries like Senegal, Gambia, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Benin, Togo, and Sierra Leone for nine or ten month stays. The free surgeries include reconstructive, ophthalmic, dental, obstetric fistula and orthopedic surgery. In the most recent stay in Benin, Africa Mercy impacted over 300,000 people, performing more than 100,00 surgeries on 67,000 direct patients, according to the Mercy Ships Public Relations Liaison, Kathy Gohmert. The 450 person volunteer crew comes from 40 different countries.

The Africa Mercy does not just provide health care, they also send out teams into the field to build capacity to support the health care infrastructure in country. This include education and training for health care professionals to increase the sustainability and delivery of service long after the Africa Mercy leaves. Despite the many challenges facing Africa, the work of the Africa Mercy, especially in the health care sector, "is a testament to the fact that a commitment to bringing healing channelled by passionate people from across the world can make a difference in the lives of thousands" like the family featured in the clip above.

-Erica Stetz

SOURCE: The Mercy Ships

Debt Relief Begins "A New Liberian Story"

Yesterday, the Paris Club pardoned 1.2 billion dollars of debt owned by Liberia. The Paris Club praised Liberia's determination to continue to implement comprehensive poverty reduction and economic restructuring to bolster sustainable economic growth. As of June 2007, Liberia's external debt was 4.4 billion dollars. The Paris Club, an informal group of the world's largest economies, has focused on providing financial services to the world's Heavily-Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) since inception in the 1970s.

The 8th MDG focuses on forging a global partnership for development, the cornerstone for the implementation of the 7 other MDGs. Debt forgiveness/relief and fairer trade rules establish a partnership for development where the richest countries enable HIPCs to grow firm economies and become self sustaining.

SOURCE: BBC News

-Erica Stetz