Grand Kru County – The Liberia National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) has launched a two-pronged initiative in Grand Kru County, combining hygiene training for women with the rehabilitation of critical water infrastructure across several rural communities.

By: Peter P. Toe, Jr., contributing writer

As part of the project, 90 women from Mother Clubs representing nine communities took part in a four-day capacity-building workshop held on April 30, 2025. The training focused on improving community hygiene and sanitation awareness in Sasstown, Barclayville, and Trehn Districts.

Led by LNRCS Field Officer George Gray, the sessions aimed to equip local women with tools to promote clean practices and lead health education efforts in their communities. Topics included personal hygiene, sanitation, and community mobilization strategies.

“Our goal is to empower these women to lead change in their communities,” Gray said. “Good hygiene practices are essential to improving health and preventing disease.”

Participants praised the training, highlighting the practical benefits for families. “This training has taught us how to keep our homes and communities clean,” said Pauline Koffa, a participant. “We thank the Red Cross for this opportunity.”

In parallel with the training, the LNRCS carried out hand pump rehabilitation in several communities. In places like Picnicess, Ylatwen, and Piddy, residents now have access to clean water—some for the first time.

The water access improvements are part of the Red Cross’s Green Inclusive Resilience Liberia Community Project, supported by Sweden. The initiative aims to reduce waterborne diseases and strengthen climate resilience through reliable water supply.

“Clean water is a basic human need,” said Gray. “We’re helping to reduce health risks and improve the overall well-being of these rural communities.”

Local leaders expressed appreciation for the infrastructure improvements. “We no longer need to walk long distances to fetch clean water,” said Dagbah Wleh of Picnicess. “This is a blessing.”

Fishtown, River Gee County – The Regional Office of the Liberia National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) in the Southeast has conducted a life-saving simulation exercise on road traffic accident response under the theme: “Building Resilience and Saving Lives with Focus on Strengthening Local Response to Road Traffic Accidents.”

This exercise is part of the Red Cross’s multi-hazard simulation plan within the three-year Green Inclusive and Resilient Liberian Communities (GIRL) project. Supported by the Embassy of Sweden through the Swedish Red Cross, the GIRL project is actively enhancing community resilience, promoting climate change adaptation, and building local capacities in health and disaster risk reduction across Sinoe, River Gee, and Grand Kru counties.

During the opening of the exercise, Project Officer Mary-Anne Swope Kpangbai highlighted the unpredictability and potential severity of road traffic accidents, which often result in injuries or even fatalities.

She emphasized that “the ability to respond quickly and effectively can significantly reduce the impact of such events,” adding that the LNRCS local structures play a crucial role in emergency response, particularly in providing first aid and supporting accident victims.

The simulation in Fishtown, which aimed to encourage timely response, immediate first aid, and strong community support in the event of road traffic accidents, brought together local law enforcement, emergency health workers, motorcyclists, market vendors, local authorities, the media, and Red Cross volunteers from River Gee, Sinoe, and Grand Kru counties.

The exercise tested and strengthened community preparedness and response capabilities, with participants practicing essential skills to manage emergencies, provide life-saving assistance, and build resilience within their communities.

This coordinated exercise also fostered collaboration between the Red Cross, local law enforcement, healthcare workers, community stakeholders, and county government officials, all of whom played an active role in learning how to respond effectively to road traffic accidents.

“Today is a success and we sincerely acknowledge your active participation which demonstrated a strong commitment to enhancing safety and response readiness in the community”, Mrs. Swope Kpangbai pointed out during the debriefing meeting with the participants. “We are grateful for the dedication and engagement from all participants,” she said, adding: “This exercise underscored the vital need for community collaboration in managing emergency incidents, saving lives, and strengthening resilience.”

The GIRL project remains an essential initiative in the Southeast of Liberia, working to build resilient communities equipped to face various hazards, including climate-related risks and health emergencies. The Liberia National Red Cross Society, through exercises like this, continues its mission to support Liberian communities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies.

Monrovia  – The Liberia National Red Cross Society extends its heartfelt appreciation to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. for proclaiming May as Red Cross Month, with May 8 designated as Red Cross Day, a working holiday.

As a signatory to the Geneva Convention, Liberia joins the global community in celebrating the spirit of humanitarianism under the theme: “I give with joy, and the joy I give is a reward.” The 2024 theme promotes the idea of giving with a sense of joy and recognizing that the joy experienced in the act of giving itself is a rewarding outcome.

The President’s proclamation calls upon all Civic and Voluntary organizations and Government agencies to actively get involved and support the Liberian Red Cross’ programs and activities planned across the country to ensure a meaningful and rewarding May month celebration.

For over 105 years, the devoted Volunteers of the Liberia National Red Cross Society have responded to challenges in various counties, districts, and communities with compassion and generosity. In times of disaster, they deliver humanitarian relief to save lives and offer hope to the needy while building community resilience, promoting humanitarian values, health and wellbeing, Protection, Gender, and Inclusion, and addressing social contextual issues during normal time.

The Secretary-General of the Liberian Red Cross, in a Press Release, thanked the president for the recognition of the Red Cross’ roles and activities. He emphasized that the Red Cross remains neutral and will impartially offer hope and support when needed most, in all contexts, from large-scale disasters to challenging conflict situations, and to remote and hard-to-reach areas.

The Liberian Red Cross has outlined a series of activities including membership recruitment, donation of assorted relief materials to vulnerable people, training of students in First Aid, free blood pressure monitoring, and environmental cleaning as part of the May Month celebration.

Mr. Blamoh encourages everyone to join the Red Cross in spreading kindness and compassion throughout the month of May and beyond, as well as becoming a member to support humanity.

Around the world, one in every 12 people receives some form of help from the Red Cross or Red Crescent – from in-person psychosocial support to relief assistance in times of disasters, and building community resilience, which has been truly remarkable.

Monrovia – President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has by Proclamation declared May 1st through 31st, as Red Cross Month and May 8, 2016 as World “Red Cross Red Crescent Day” to be observed throughout Liberia as a Working Holiday.

The World Red Cross Red Crescent Movement has been committed to rendering relevant and timely services to distressed and needy people throughout the world in time of trouble, sickness, war, natural calamity, and other forms of disasters.

After 150 years of its birth, the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement continues to provide humanitarian services to vulnerable communities and remains committed to doing so now and in the future.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, the Liberian National Red Cross Society will join the World Red Cross Red Crescent Movement to celebrate the month of May, 2016, under the theme: “Everywhere for everyone.”

President Sirleaf has directed that all civic and voluntary organizations and government agencies concerned, fully participate in programs as planned by the Liberian National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) to make the occasion meaningful and rewarding.

The events, which will focus on highlighting the universal presence and impact of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in humanitarian service will be held in Liberia’s 15 counties beginning with street parades, and climaxed by indoor programs, community services ranging from general clean-up exercises at public places and donation of relief materials to vulnerable institutions.

The Proclamation stresses that for more than 130 years, the devoted volunteers of the Liberian Red Cross have responded to challenges in the various counties, districts and communities with compassion and generosity and in times of disaster, they deliver humanitarian relief, save lives and offer hope for the brighter tomorrow, as their service has meant so much to many, and this month, we renew our sense of common purpose and honor all those whose sacrifices have made our society more prepared, resilient, and united.

It further emphasizes that in a fast changing world, young people will lead positive change as recent surveys indicate that half of the 17 million Red Cross Red Crescent volunteers in 190 countries are youth who are innovators embracing new ideas and technologies faster than any generation before them and thousands of them worldwide have been trained as peer educators in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.

Everywhere around the world, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is there for everyone, with neutrality and impartiality to offer hope and support, thus acts as a force for positive change in communities when it is needed the most, and is present everywhere, providing support to the most vulnerable in all contexts from large scale disasters, challenging conflict situations, to remote and hard to reach areas where no other aid organizations have access to.