MONROVIA – Older women, some of whom are widows and retirees from subsistence farming in rural Liberia have said they nearly spent Christmas hungry had it not been the timely distribution of food by Alfalit Liberia through the Women in Peace Building Network (WIPNET).
A group of older women, 65-75, was seem risking themselves on speeding motorcycles as the only means of transporting their food home 5 miles from Kakata.
They are all members of WIPNET, noted for peace advocacy and women rights. The power of WIPNET lies in these older women who over the years have sacrificed themselves to protest against instability and gender based violence in Liberia.
In Kakata, there are 60 of these women who received food ration as a usual Christmas gift from the President of Alfalit International, Mr. Joseph Milton. On one of his visits to Liberia, Mr. Milton, according to Alfalit Liberia, thought to feed the women of WIPNET twice a year- Liberia’s Independence Day and Christmas Day. So far, the consignments of 2019 were the largest, targeting 2000 urban and rural women in Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Margibi, Bong, Lofa, Bomi and Gbarpolu Counties.
Ma Hawa Pewee who claimed to be one of the founding members of WIPNET said the food gotten from Alfalit would improve her health as she struggles with old age. Ma Hawa who doesn’t know her exact age, looks like she has passed aged 65. “I will eat on time for few days. It will get me healthy”, Ma Hawa, a resident of Kakata in Margibi County said.
These women did not expect the Christmas supply since Alfalit gave the July distribution in October. More so, the news of the Christmas supply came so late. Notwithstanding, the surprised packaged was a timely intervention, said Ms. Dephine Morris who is the National Coordinator of WIPNET. Alfalit Liberia spent all of Christmas and the first week of January to reach out to WIPNET women in the chosen counties. Ma Koma Harris is old but taking care of her old and sick husband. “The food in my hand came when we didn’t expect it, but it came as answer to prayer”. I thank the people who send this food, Ma Koma concluded when the motorcycle taking her home pulled off.