Monrovia – Liberians in the United Kingdom are making headway in efforts to identify with the less fortunate in their homeland.
That effort came in handy during the holidays when the Union of Liberian Organizations in the UK (ULOUK) and Wales Liberia Connect (WLC) donated more than one tonne of assorted food items, clothes and toys to three orphanages around Monrovia.
The orphanages benefiting from the drive include: The Divine Ministries International Orphanage opposite the SKD Sports Complex, Love A Child Orphanage on the Robertsfield highway and the Christian Orphanage and Agricultural Programme in Parker Corner, Brewerville.
A range of assorted clothes were also donated to the Soniwein Health Centre.
On Monday, December 26, the organizations’ representatives visited the Redemption hospital and the New Georgia Health Centre to share toys and new-born clothes with kids and new mothers.
A consignment of food, clothes and toys were also donated to the Foya Birmah Health Centre through Lofa County Senator George Tingbeh on Thursday, December 29th.
Mr. Fidel Budy, Secretary General of ULOUK told FrontPageAfrica that since the leadership took over the mandate of the organization in March 2015, it has made engagement with Liberia one of its main priority.
“This project was one of the ways we believed we could engage with Liberia. In terms of going forward, we hope that the union will continue to support the reconstruction of Liberia through projects targeting the health sector.”
While in Monrovia, Mr. Budy met with administrators at the Redemption and the New Georgia Health Centres. He is expected to report back to the organization and the report will be assessed to explore further contributions.
Mr. Budy, who was accompanied by Mr. Maxson Kpakio, CEO of WLC, says the latest contributions follows similar gestures made in the past.
In 2015, the organizations contributed more than £5000 to a back-to-school-project for kids who were affected by the Ebola virus crisis in Liberia through the UK-Liberia Ebola Taskforce.
“The money was used to buy books, shoes and uniforms for kids,” says Budy who added that this was the first time that the groups have done something for a festive celebration and in collaboration with another UK based organization in Wales Liberia Connect (WLC).
He explained that the orphanages that received donations were identified through individual Liberians in the UK who have donated to those orphanages in the past.
The Union of Liberian Organisations in the United Kingdom caters to the needs of all Liberians by uniting all disparate organisations under a single body. We promote the activities of all communities and organisations that seek to provide support to Liberians at home and abroad.
We are especially interested in forging unity among all Liberians irrespective of background or political affiliation. We are also actively engaged with developing projects that meet the needs of our people within the United Kingdom and Liberia.
Wales Liberia Connect was founded by Mr Maxson Kpakio in 2010. Whilst on a visit to Monrovia, Mr Kpakio witnessed the experience of young girls and women who sell sex on the streets of the Capital as it is their only means of supporting themselves.
Few of these women have any knowledge of HIV/AIDS and do not use any form of barrier contraception whilst working. Meeting these individuals, some as young as twelve years old, had a profound effect on Mr Kpakio.
Max is well known to young people across the city of Monrovia and has strong and longstanding connections with a number of individuals and community organisations there.
The formal link between Wales Liberia Connect and the Association of NGOs resulted from Mr Kpakio attending a community development workshop in Cardiff.
After researching the HIV/AIDS sector in Liberia, Kpakio identified the Association as a prospective partner and contacted their Secretary General, Mr Daniel Wehyee, with a view to forming a partnership. Mr Wehyee’s response was highly positive and a commitment to form a partnership was undertaken in February 2011.
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