Old Road Sinkor, Monrovia – A group of former and current residents of Old Road Community has distributed a huge consignment of rice to vulnerable occupants.
Report by gar Blojay Joe, II & Emmett Coker, Contributors
Old Road is a community found in Electoral District #10; Montserrado County located in one of Liberia’s famous communities with thousands of people living at the margin of society including ordinary income earners.
The rationing of rice among the communities in the face of the novel coronavirus comes as result of a contributions by “The Friend and Family of Old Road USA” (a composition of Liberians residing in the United States and friends from Old Rod, Sinkor, Monrovia) who said the effort was squarely meant to buttress the Liberian government ongoing initiatives that aim at alleviating hunger during the coronavirus (COVID 19) lockdown.
Two hundred fifty (250) bags of 25kg of rice were distributed with 1000 old folks and vulnerable people who are living across the twenty communities on the Old Road.
The distribution which took place simultaneously at four different locations in District #10 in the morning hours of Saturday May 23, 2020 was coordinated and supervised by Mrs. Ruth Cooker-Collins and team.
A statement from the Friends and Family of Old Road USA said “the funds to sponsor this project were made available through the contribution of members of the Association residing in the United States”.
Speaking from Austin Texas, the spokesman–Mr. Bryan G. Harris applauded all current and former residents of Old Road, Sinkor, from the diaspora for making available “their timely contributions. He also lauded the Old Road based team for its tireless efforts in making the rice distribution successful.
Speaker Harris also highlighted the planned setup of a study center and a library across Old Road when the COVID-19 pandemic shall have subsided.
According to the Friends and Family of Old Road USA, it currently has over 250 members with the aim to “promote human resource development, unity, social awareness and economic empowerment amongst current and former residents of Old Road; as well as to promote career advancement, explore investment opportunities, and mentorship across the community and beyond”.
The association also seeks to serves as a forum for the exchange of views amongst the people of Old Road, as well as a support-system for folks going back home, and those newly migrating to the US.
Mrs Ruth Coker-Collins, the principal distributor in remarks at the Open Bile School told journalists she was thankful that members of the association in the United were so farsighted to have thought about assisting vulnerable people back home.
She said the former residents of Old Road based in the USA intervention at this time was timely as not just Liberia, but the global community faces the uncertain difficulty of containing the Coronavirus pandemic.
“To our community leaders whom we are working with to ensure that this distribution is successful, we want to commend all of you for working along with the team in the distribution aspect,” she noted.
Amos Johnson is 62 years of age. Leaning on the balcony of the Old Road Muslim High school, the third distribution, site he rained praises on the distributors.
“Today we received several Cups of rice as a token or handout to us the citizens who are unable to work. It may not be enough, but I want to thank the pole who did this, they have done extremely well”, he noted.
Saturday’s distribution of rice officially climaxed at the Open Bible School on Old Road. Scores of recipients lauded the initiative as a “sign of caring for the elderly”
Mary Watson, a 54 years old disable woman to reporters covering the event that “caring for the elderly in these difficult times”. She however furthered that Liberia must begin to cater for aging people in order for the country to be blesses and see the benefits of Development.
“we the old people, they must care for us. This is the only way the country can develop because we all arte citizen, not because we are now old or unable to work”, the 54 years old concluded before riding a bike away from her cups of rice.
This distribution of rice to Old Road residents comes as the CDC government struggles to deliver on its promise to have distributed rice and oil to vulnerable communities in counties affected by the coronavirus as of Saturday May 23, 2020.
The announced food distribution has repeatedly been delayed due to unexplained reasons while thousands across the affected counties continue to wait in hopelessness.
Additionally, President Weah’s pronouncement for “free LEC power supply including water by the Liberia Water and Sewer Cooperation are yet to be materialized as the two institutions have told separate senate hearing that they lack the capacity to offer the free services announced by the president.