EG Celebrates Liberia 163^rd Independence Day

Just from Ganta,Nimba County,William Jacobs reports

Monday, July 26,2010 was Liberia’s 163^rd Independence Day. The official program for the day was held in Sanniquellie, the regional capital city of Nimba County. Founded by free slaves from the United States of America, Liberia plunged into a destructive and divisive civil war in late 1989 and spanned over 14 years. The strife to repair the damage and re-unite the nation is a task that every peace loving Liberian citizen whether at home or abroad is working to achieve. Some 250,000 Liberians were estimated to have died during the war while over 800,000 fled the country.

The fact that Sanniquellie, was chosen as the venue for the 163^rd Independence Day anniversary is indication that re-unification of the country is paramount to the citizens and current leadership of the war ravaged nation. The formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now African Union, was first discussed by great African leaders including, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, William V.S. Tubman of Liberia, and Admed Sekou Toure of Guinea in Sanniquellie back in 1958. The Liberian civil war also started in Nimba as a “small rebel incursion” on December 24,1989.

This year’s Independence Day celebration going to Nimba, a county bordering Guinea and Ivory Coast, two countries that have themselves gone through years of political and civil upheavals, is significant to the process of rebuilding and healing for Liberia, a country with a history that is so unique and different from any other on the continent of Africa. When Liberia declared independence on July 26, 1847, the countries on the continent of Africa were still under hash colonial rules. This made Liberia the haven for many in those days. Now that the image is becoming good again and the country reclaiming its proper place among the nations of the world, everyone felt confident to get on the road to Nimba to celebrate the new dawn of peace and stability. Many civil society groups and non-governmental organizations including everyday gandhis, joined president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and her entourage to commemorate the Independence Day in Nimba, some traveling the long road as early as Thursday, July 23.

The eg team was ahead of the convoy to organize its youth soccer and kickball for peace games as part of the activities to mark the celebration in Ganta. The everyday gandhis Independence Day games were in fact held simultaneously in Sarkonadu, Lofa County and Ganta in Nimba County. All of the communities are border towns that separate Liberia from Guinea and the Ivory Coast. everyday gandhis had since identified the border communities as important places for its youth program simply because of their vulnerability to mercenary recruitment, prostitution, drugs addiction and HIV and AIDS. People from both countries commute daily across the borders doing various types of business in the process.

Upon arrival in Ganta on Thursday July 23, staff of Center for Justice and Peace Studies (CJPS), the youth organization hosting and collaborating with eg was on hand to debrief our team about preparations made so far.

A talking circle with members of the eg soccer and kickball teams (eg Peace Ambassadors FC) was part of the plan. During the circle each of us talked about our life, and one good thing that we have done to help someone in our communities. This started very slowly as many of the young people especially the girls are still shy and lack the confidence to open up to staff members. We try not to emphasize so much on the term “ex-combatants” even though these are the people that we mostly work with, since the war has long ended and most people want to put that title behind them. In his contribution, Kelvin Togba, a gospel musician and member of the soccer team says he provided support for a friend who was once going astray and that that friend is now doing good. Togba spoke about himself as someone who respects others and gets respect in return. Mark Varkum is a teen counselor. He encourages his peers to be positive. Mark was young when his father died.

As eg team members, we listen more during these discussions giving the opportunity to our hosts to speak. Morris Turay, head of CJPS referred to the eg Peace Ambassadors FC- Ganta as representatives of Nimba County. “ Whatever negative thing you do, whatever positive thing you do, will reflect on the county and Ganta in particular,” he told the enthusiastic Ganta Youth. The youth were selected from various neighborhoods to make up the Peace Ambassadors FC teams.

The Soccer and Kickball Games

“This is the only game that I have seen being played in this community without fighting”, an elderly man standing next to me observed during the girls kickball game. eg Peace Ambassadors’ girls were well attired in their green and yellow outfit and were engaged by the United Sisters earlier on July 26, 2010. Though the Peace Ambassadors’ girls went down to United Sisters 5-15, the game was dubbed the most peaceful girls game in recent times.

In the second match, Peace Ambassadors FC boys took on Liam FC both Ganta based. The Ambassadors in all yellow outfits started the game with promise and quickly won the hearts of the spectators. Looking much more youthful than their opponents, the ambassadors took control of the game soon after kickoff exhibiting some spectacular skills in midfield and many times threatening the vital areas of their opponents. Mid way into the first half, the ambassadors’ number one goalkeeper, Cyrus Kwasakeh, sustained injury on his right hand when he collided with a striker for Liam FC, causing him to be replaced. This replacement changed the face of the game when in the dying minutes of the first half, the ambassadors’ number two goalkeeper brought down a striker of Liam FC in a goal-bound attack. He was immediately red carded forcing the eg team to play with ten against eleven as one of the players had to stand out. A free kick was taken that resulted into the first goal. Another quick goal was scored making it 2-0 before the end of the first half. Despite been down by 2-0, the ambassadors mounted pressure against and got a consolation goal right at the stroke of time. The game ended 2-1 in favor of the visitors.

After the games both players and officials hugged and shook hands as a sign of fair play, togetherness and friendship. And as always, the youth and the people of Ganta asked for more…

EG Peace Ambassadors FC soccer team:

1.Cyrus Kwasakeh

2.Wilton Sayesay

3. Alfred Dahn

4. Yousef Fawaz

5. Eric Dolo

6. Tony Obey

7. Othello Gibson

8. Mojue Kromah

9. David Beh

10. Martin Zawolo

11. Kelvin Togba

12. Tozoe Ben

13. Jerry Gono

14. Manwon Wonneh

15. Richmond Teage

16. Varney Johnson

17. Mark Varkum

18. Thompson Paye

19. Henry Paye

20. Jackson Walker

21. Bill Dolo

22. Robert Tealo

23. Chris Kromah

24. Joseph Dahmie

25. Nelson Korquoi == Coach

Introduction

Hi, Everyone

I have found it significant by writing to contribute to the peace process in Liberia towards better development as a Future Guardian of Peace through one of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (Unmil) Radio Programs. The program is called Unmilpostbag. This program addresses the concerns of the public with regards to the peace process in Liberia, the activities of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (Unmil), the Government and NGOs on various issues effecting Liberians; be it health, education, economy, politics, road construction, poems or anything that is a concern to Liberians.  This is the program that airs Liberians’ views every Sunday at 1:30PM through letters.

You can get answers from the relevant authorities in response if concerned. You can suggest solutions to any issues or concerns. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, you just have to write your letters. You can writes to the program if you have access to the Internet by using the address unmilpostbag@unmil.org or you can drop your letter in a box in front of Unmil Head Quarters, 1st  street Sinkor African Anxel in Monrovia. If not, you can take your letter to any of the Unmil Head Quarter in the sectors. This program is contributing to the peace process in Liberia by highlighting Liberians views all over the Country.

To close, I will say that the excess of education is to create a positive change in Society.  Education plays a vital role in building a strong nation. But how do we get it? How do we ensure that the children get the education they need? I can now see from the great Ricks Institute, the land of transformation, intellectual, physical, emotional, culture and social learning. The mentioned letters below I wrote when I enrolled in Ricks Institute in 2009. It is my hope to continue such acts, as I become a prospective Journalist in writing. Some of these ideas have been implemented through the relevant authorities the letters address, and many have responded to them on air. My wonderful people please read and read! The below letters have been aired through the media around the Country some months ago.

September 12, 2009

DearUnmilpostbag,

Thanks for the opportunity to write on your program. I am very glad, and may the almighty God bless the chief for Unmil Radio, Joseph Mensah, including his work mates, especially you Martina Brooks and Julie Garpula. My name is Lassana Kanneh. I am a high school senior, student journalist of Voinjama Free Pentecostal Mission School, Voinjama, Lofa County. I am very appreciative to all the newspaper institutions in Monrovia, Liberia for their jobs well done, including the present. When I visited Monrovia during my vocation break, I saw and read many newspapers like the New Democrat Newspaper, the In Profile, and Daily OBSERVER. In points, I am kindly appealing to all newspapers institutions in Monrovia to please extend to rural areas of Liberia to spread the information of news, comments, analysis and suggestions, which I think and believe will help our people to understand how the Government is fighting against Rape, murders and illegal crimes towards good development. I’m also grateful to Unmil for their Sentinel newspaper, which I consider to be the monthly newspaper. We always received the Unmil Sentinel newspaper here in Lofa, especially in Voinjama, and we understand the stories of how the Liberian Government is operating for a better Liberia.  Thanks also go to the two Radio stations, Unmil Radio and E.L.B.C Radio, for their efforts of entertainment and educational programs.

For E.L.B.C Radio programs, I really like to listen to Executive diary, safely, and you. And for Unmil Radio programs, I usually listen to Capital Reports and Palaver Hut and many other programs including unmilpostbag, which I will give my thanks and appreciations to you Martina Brooks and Julie Garpula and kindly ask for a repeat of this program, which will be very important for late Listeners.

Thanks

Lassana Kanneh

Voinjama, Lofa County

September 22, 2009

Dear Unmilpostbag,

I am very glad and wish to continue writing on your program. Thanks for the privilege given to us Liberians to raise our concerns, suggestions and questions to the government of Liberia. My name is Lassana Kanneh. A formal high school student Journalist of Voinjama Free Pentecostal Mission School in Voinjama city, Lofa County, who has been elevated to Ricks Institute, Virginia, Liberia for the academic year of 2009 to 2010.

Unmilpostbag, my letter of concern is mainly addressing the minister of Ministry of Public works of Liberia concerning the bad condition of roads in Lofa County. Leaving Lofa, my beloved home to be transferred to Virginia, Liberia was a shame leaving my County in such condition. Mr. Minister, I am very sorry for not putting your full name in this letter because I do not know, but I wish to know as time goes on. What are your plans toward the bad roads in Lofa that we citizens are now facing this rainy season? Two hours drive has become a one-day drive, and a one-day drive comes out to approximately one week.

Motorcyclists are all suffering to move their Motors from place to place in remote areas. What is happening Mr. Minister? Will this be a sign of good development in Lofa? We citizens are not able to transport our cash crops to urban Liberia, especially Monrovia, to sell and buy national and imported goods for our needs if the roads are in such bad condition. Will this also help us in Lofa regain or accelerate our title of breadbasket of Liberia? Lofa roads are all spoiling towards the Guinea and Sierra Leone borders, including the entrance from Gbarnga, Bong County. What are the plans of this present government, Mr. Minister, concerning the bad roads? Who says their aim is to fight the poverty Reduction strategy, including changing the minds and attitudes of people, and providing good security. Will this be well? When we citizens’ hearts are burning all days, will this be sworn that Lofa will always suffer for good roads? I stop this far, and wish to continue addressing my concern.

May 23, 2010

Dear Unmilpostbag;

It is so sad, but exciting when I made a visit to Voinjama on May 16, 2010 in order to meet and greet family members and friends. Looking at the environment of Voinjama and its people interacting seemed like nothing that lead to any tribal fight, which likely turned into religious conflict on February 26, 2010. Now, people are interacting in a normal situation. Merchants are coming in with their goods to satisfy consumers’ needs.  Buyers and sellers are like sugar and ants. Villagers are free to tour in and out of Voinjama with their crops. I say everything is normal and becoming normal in the hands of the people. Lofa County, particularly Voinjama is my home of residence, where I did my primary and middle high school education. I am now a senior high school student of Ricks Institute. Lofa County is the homeland of my beloved mother and late father, and my place of birth is Kakata, Margibi County.

Through my visit in Voinjama, I walked around and saw burned structures belonging to both the Mandingos and Lormas, including the Catholic compound where I completed my primary education, especially the Father’s house and the Justice Peace Commission (JPC) office, a building that was burned down and many were killed. I wept and wept even though I read so many newspapers, but I never believed such acts when I was out of Voinjama. We Liberians have a saying that says, “Seeing is believed”.  May the dead ones souls rest in perfect peace!  Many thanks to the Government of Liberia for her smart efforts in stopping the destructive conflict among the Uncles and Nephews (The Lormas’ and Mandingos’) by sending the ERU force and other securities who handled the situation peacefully.  I wonder or speculate what our County authorities were doing at the start of the conflict.  In another point, thank you to our traditional elders for their strong prayers and many sacrifices. I must appeal to them to please continue their efforts by doing many sacrifices to wash away our ethnic differences among tribal groups and the youth of Lofa County.

If you are a Gbandi, Kissi, be it Lorma or Mandingo, we are all brothers and sisters with the same red blood. We have to stop the differences and look forward to good development. With our differences, will it satisfy us, the youth, to accomplish or achieve quality education and our goal to extend it to our future generations? Please, to our brothers and sisters, we have to discontinue conflict that will bring set back to our beloved country, Liberia. We have to remind ourselves that the war is over and there should be no internal and external conflicts.  Liberians need peace for development. Please, I beg you all.

Thanks

Lassana Kanneh, Student journalist

Ricks Institute

Virginia, Liberia

June 18, 2010

Dear Unmilpostbag;

I must congratulate this program especially you the hosts and presenters, Sister Martina Brook and Aunty Julie Garpula, for the wonderful work done. Thanks for this magnificent program, which enable us Liberians to air our views; like questions, suggestions, comments, analysis, or anything that is our concern, be it health, education or development. Today, my idea is mainly addressing our president Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her great job she has done and continues to do for us Liberians. Our city roads, particularly Monrovia, are turning out to be well. The economy and education system are improving. I hope that we Liberians are seeing such good doing. I believe after my birth that this is the only Government that have fought against corruptions towards good development for us the youth of Liberia to have a better future and brought in the poverty reduction strategy. Who’s fought and persisted to fight Rape against our mothers? To you Madam Sirleaf, may our almighty Lord bless you and provide long life to expand your high-quality objectives for us Liberians. I hope we Liberians have the same mind to have you again, or such a leader like you for the next election.

To us Liberians, let us make wise decisions and place our votes in the right box. Do we need a ruler or a leader? We have to think of this and get a trustworthy leader who will guide and provide us the way to development. With our wise decisions, I hope in the next term Liberia can be one of the developed countries in West Africa, and in Africa at large. I beg that all Liberians, eighteen years and above, have to be very wise in our decision making process to elect a good leader that will serve us to our goal but not to discriminate against us. However, I beg to you Madam Sirleaf to please improve the security sectors by securing our various borders areas. Thanks to you for your great efforts towards Liberia and we Liberians.

Thanks

Lassana Kanneh, student journalist

Ricks Institute

Virginia, Liberia

July 5, 2010

Dear Unmilpostbag;

I use this time to give many thanks in praising the Government of Liberia, and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (Unmil), including the International donors for keeping peace in Liberia. It’s seems that Lofa County wants to regain its status as the bread basket of Liberia by playing a leading role in making sure that Liberia becomes self-sufficient in food production, since the launching of June 2008 “back to the soil” campaign in Liberia.

For my part as a boarding student, I have begun the vocational school breaks a few weeks ago from Ricks Institute-Virginia, Liberia. I toured in some parts of Lofa County, especially Foya and Voinjama districts, observing my own people so excited in their farming systems to ensure the County regains its household status as the bread basket of Liberia. Oh Lord’s! Thanks for putting us Liberians back to the soil after the hardship of a 14-year civil war, in particular the citizens of the victorious Lofa County, which was damaged during the Liberians’ years of tragedy. So long there is life, there is hope for everything. Life is real. Life is earnest. Let us then be up and doing, with the heart of destiny.

I recommend to the Government of Liberia to please empower the Ministry of Agriculture to encourage farmers who want to see the positive success of the Green Coast by providing farm tools to get their farming activities done. With this knowledge, I assume it will help to eliminate the poverty rate in Liberia, and bring us to development. Liberians, please let’s look at our own markets and see what is unfolding before us. I surmise it is the Peanut, which we called in simple English, Ground Pea. I do believe that 85 percent is from Lofa County, speared all over the urban areas especially Monrovia, the Nation’s capital City. We also can’t forget our planted Rice called Country Rice at the Market along with other harvest crops.

To bring to a close the above statements mentioned, I would like to stop this far. Martina and Julie, of course self praise has no recommendation, but I’m one of the best listeners’ of all Unmil Radio programs, especially this program Umnilpostbag. And I hope to become one of the numerous writers of the Umnilpostbag as I elevate in life. But, sometimes I’m so obligated with a lot of work and the writing of articles. Nevertheless, I’m always glad to write on this program.

“Our charity begins at home, and mostly ends where it begins.”

“Hope is the only good which is common to all men.”

Thanks

Lassana Kanneh

Voinjama

Lofa County

Recently the New Yorker published a profile of economist Esther Duflo of MIT’s ‘Poverty Lab’, a think tank and experimental social laboratory seeking to measure the effectiveness of aid programs in the so-called developing world (New Yorker magazine, May 17, 2010). To accomplish this, “…they subject social-policies ideas to randomized control trials, as one would use in testing a drug” in an effort to connect cause and effect, sending researchers into the field to interview people from communities intended to benefit from these aid and development schemes. ‘Randomization “takes the guesswork, the wizardry, the technical prowess, the institution, out of finding out whether something makes a difference,”’ Duflo says.

The problem is that her approach also takes the community and Nature out of the equation as well. Duflo’s assertions are both intriguing and dangerous: intriguing because there is a need to test the efficacy of policies and programs; dangerous because of her many untested assumptions about Western expertise and the needs of the poor.

My experience over the past seven years working in Liberia is that development/aid agencies seldom consult their intended recipients as to what they know or need. Few aid agencies see their host/recipient communities as resourceful, resilient and wise. Few show appreciation of local wisdom and local knowledge systems or seek to create locally based solutions. Most see themselves as accountable primarily or exclusively to donors. Failed programs are abandoned, not corrected, without apology or redress. All of us, including influential ‘experts’ such as Duflo, Jeffrey Sachs and others, would do well to study what is intact, resilient, and healthy before jumping to conclusions about what needs fixing or what our role in the West might be.

The article doesn’t mention how Duflo and her associates enter a community or select the people whose opinions they seek. The ascendancy of science with its zeal for quantifiable, cause-and-effect results renders traditional and earth-based knowledge systems invisible. A scientifically randomized approach creates its own reality, often at odds with complex societies in which people are related through tribes, ethnic groups, religion, gender, birth order, clans, chiefdoms, taboos, secret societies, trade, counties, districts, and intermarriage. In most rural, earth-based societies, and among the urban poor, some people are prominent or accessible and others are often hidden. Outsiders and even locals who simply come in and ask questions can expect a variety of responses depending on the perception of trustworthiness or influence of the questioner, and perception of potential gain or detriment.

It is dangerous to think that we can isolate symptoms of imbalance such as poverty, water shortages, crop failure, etc. and address them out of context. Environmental degradation is inseparable from relationship degradation, both of which began with colonization and continue to be exacerbated by industrialization, political manipulation and greed, particularly Western over-consumption and corporate influence. There are those that argue – and persuasively so, in light of the record – that the West has a vested interest in the failure of aid programs. It might be interesting to invite some of the world’s poor to design projects to ‘fix’ the West.

Monocultures, including monocultural mind-sets, are not healthy or viable. In order to thrive, systems need to be based in principles of Nature, ie symbiosis, openness, flow of information, and interconnection resulting in mutual benefit, enhanced interconnection and diversity. Any other approach is destined to fail. We in the West have much to learn from people that have suffered at our hands yet remain willing to welcome us, and from people that are still connected to their ancestral lands, know their neighbors, and live modestly. Instead of viewing aid as a one-way transaction flowing from the over-consuming West to the so-called developing world, we need to explore ways to build relationships based on mutual respect, mutual benefit and mutual accountability.

Cynthia Travis

Founder & President

everyday gandhis

820 East Mason Street

Santa Barbara, California, 93109

Monrovia and Voinjama, Liberia

everydaygandhis.zippykid.it

Creating High School Journalists

Ricks Institute

Feburuary 6, 2010

Journey to my career

After my birth, I got into struggles among many people, friends, neighbors, classmates, and schoolmates for several years. There were a lot of difficulties I experienced because of financial support in Monrovia during the 1990s, while I was with my mother. A lack of food caused me to leave my home and go out to find food in order to sustain my life and because of my lack of needs, I was intimidated and joined the National Patriotic Front (NPFL). I later found myself in the Northeastern part of Liberia, Voinjama, Lofa County, wondering if I could re-build my self-image. The idea that came to mind was through listening to my own big and bright ideas, making my thinking a habit, then that habit became a life style and the life style, I believe, is leading me to have a crown deserving honorable self worth.

Before moving to Ricks Institute, Liberia (the land of transformation, learning, and great culture), I worked at my former school, Voinjama Free Pentecostal Mission School, Lofa County, as student Editor and Chief-Reporter for the department of Mass Communication.

Here, I was able through hard work, to go out and find resources by interviewing the local people and Journalists and sharing their experiences and difficulties. This enabled me to compare and contrast ideas that keep directing me as I go through high school. With the experience I had with other Journalists, I was able to compile notes on high school Journalism called Information on Journalism from 2008 to 2009. This process took me many days, moving from place to place under sunshine, rain, even moonlight, meeting friends who have different abilities and ideas than me, believing that I can learn from them through conversations. One such friend is Alexander Sonnie, a great friend of mine, now a graduate of Voinjama Free Pentecostal Mission School, who once served as Press Director while I was serving as Chief-Reporter.

Now at Ricks Institute, one of the best schools in Liberia, I’m glad and very excited to become part of the larger family of this noble institution. When I came to Ricks I had to gain enough strength and courage in the midst of people from different backgrounds. However, I worked hard, meeting and talking with friends who were members of the Press Club, about how we could best cooperate in shaping our skills and abilities.

Today, I’m proud to be among them as a student Journalist. We’ve just held our first workshop, which was fantastic. My career has just begun.

Media Workshop for Students

February 6, 2010

Introduction

The Dragon News Network (DNN) is a campus-based news organization run solely by students. In other words, it is a students’ Press Club. The Dragon News Network gathers news around the campus and the environs of Ricks Institute, and blends this with national news. The news is proofread and edited by students, and it is then submitted by the coordinator, who is an instructor, before it is sent out for printing. The news is read to the Ricks community every Friday during Assembly.

The need for a workshop

For the academic year 2009/2010, the administration of Ricks introduced a new academic program in the school where students are required to take THREE quizzes and FOUR assignments for each subject. If we consider only the four major subject areas (Math,Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies/History) it means that students will be taking (12) twelve quizzes and (16) sixteen assignment for every period (six weeks). Gathering news on time was always a problem. This was a big challenge for the students in the press club. In addition, new students came to form part of the Press Club. For the first time students began using a recorder to conduct interviews, and also to do live interviews with teachers, students, and guests during news presentations. All of these presented challenges to the students and young Journalists like me, Lassana Kanneh; thus the need for a workshop to highlight those areas that needed improvement, and to learn new ideas about Journalism.

The Workshop

The workshop was conducted on Saturday, February 6, 2010, and lasted for three hours – from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The materials for the workshop were provided by Ricks Institute administration, while the pamphlet used was written by me Lassana Kanneh, student Journalist of the 10th grade class. The presenters were all students from grades 9 to 12. We were able to highlight those areas we have weaknesses in, and other areas we have strengths in. Our coordinator Mr. Edmond Ponga, also passed on responsibility to the 10th and 11th graders because the 12th graders were preparing for their national exam to leave the school for University.

Conclusion

We have resolved to have regular workshops here at Ricks Institute, especially as our seniors are no longer with us. We as student journalists also hope that more materials will be made available for our work so that we will improve our skills and abilities as young Journalists from both the school and other international partners. We are anticipating that one day you will come and visit us here at Ricks Institute to see what we are doing.

I extend my gratitude to our photographer Mohammed Kamara for the great effort he applied. Both of us contributed the amount of $500.00 Liberian Dollars to have refreshment for participants of the workshop. And many thanks to all my beloved brothers who contributed their own prayers towards the beginning and end of this process (THE BIG SIX, Future Guardians of Peace).

With best love, care and regard,

Report by Lassana Kanneh

Future Guardian of Peace

Ricks Institute

Virginia, Liberia

I was so privileged to visit the Everyday Gandhis guest house in Voinjama from the 24th to the 30th of May, 2009. I was warmly welcomed by everyone in the house and everyone I encountered in the community. The house was so clean and comfortable and Mama Kanneh cooked delicious meals every day and always made sure I had hot water in my room for tea. I really enjoyed the conversations I was able to have with the boys and Esther, and it was incredible to see the level of respect and open communication within the house. I was present for one meeting involving the boys, Esther, Bethelson and Uncle Jake, where some small issues (things like sharing work around the house, etc) were brought up and discussed honestly and calmly. Apologies were made and accepted and by the end, everyone was laughing. Observing the process, I thought back to similar meetings I attended when I was living in a house full of students in college, and how tempers would flare over the same kinds of issues. So, needless to say, I was impressed!

By far the most meaningful part of my time in Voinjama were the two afternoons I spent co-facilitating and participating in discussion Circles: the Circle of Girls on May 27th and the Circle of Girls and Boys on May 28th. For the Circle of Girls, I worked with Mama Kanneh and a young woman named Blessing. Blessing is an eleventh grader at the Voinjama Free Pentecostal School, and did a lot of work for us spreading awareness and excitement for the event at the school. We set up desks in a large circle under some palm trees on the school grounds in preparation for a start time of 4:00, and by 3:45 girls were already arriving! In total we counted 38 attendees, which proved to be a great number for exploring many different opinions and perspectives on young women’s issues in Lofa.

After the introductions, I explained the concept of Safe Space to the Circle, a concept I borrowed from a Female Sexuality course I took as an undergraduate at the University of California, Berkeley. Creating Safe Space means making a commitment to upholding the values of the Circle; it allows for both the freedom to speak on any topic and the freedom not to speak, and requires respect for each participant, which is demonstrated by giving total attention to anyone speaking. Everyone should feel safe, welcome, and respected in the Circle.

The first topic discussed was Early Pregnancy. Blessing had alerted me that this is a huge issue currently affecting school-aged girls in the area, who may not even finish school once they have a child. All girls who spoke on this subject agreed that early pregnancy should be avoided by avoiding early sex. Reasons for engaging in early sex were cited as often economic: the desire for material goods, especially when a girl does not have nice enough clothes to feel presentable at school (the solution being to find a man with money, who will expect sex in exchange for gifts), and sometimes also family pressure in the form of parents expecting school-aged girls to take an active, adult role in supporting themselves. Several girls advised that early pregnancy may lead to abandonment by parents and even the father of the child, and Mama told a story of a woman who used to live well from sleeping with many men but who, once she got pregnant, had no support left and now must sell meat in the street.

Women’s Health was discussed on many levels. We talked about the health hazards of early pregnancy as well as the dangers of abortion, as many women in the community are said to have been tricked into unsafe abortions and/or died from complications of abortion. We discussed condom use for mature women who decide to have sex and do not want to become pregnant. One particularly exciting moment during this discussion, for me, came when some girls were complaining that men don’t’ want to use condoms, and one teenaged girl in the group admitted that she doesn’t like condoms, either. Mama counseled her that she used to feel the same way but that once she forced herself to use them, she got used to them. The teen responded: “Well, then I will try that, too!” The influence of one woman sharing advice in the form of experience can be so much more effective than simply sharing facts!

The Circle of Girls also explored the issue of rape. When asked what causes rape, the girls overwhelmingly pointed to “the way we dress.” We discussed this at length: Do girls who dress conservatively also get raped? What about male accountability for the action of rape? Can a woman rape a man? Is it ever your fault if you are raped? Uncle Jake respectfully entered the Circle to give some insight to a few of these discussion points, including a case he knew of where a boy was taken advantage of by a woman, and a case of a woman bearing a child from rape. He also pointed out that there was nothing a girl could wear that could make him lose control of himself. The final conclusion of the Circle was that it is never your fault if you are raped.

At the end of the discussion we passed out paper for the girls to write anonymous questions if they wished. We all threw our papers in the center of the circle, and then the facilitators read the questions and all discussed them. This was a good way for potentially embarrassing questions to be answered, or at least addressed. After this, we all shared refreshments and cleaned up together.

The Circle of Girls and Boys was also a success, despite the rain that came just as we were setting up. We met inside the everyday gandhis guest house, and had roughly 30 attendees, including many of the same girls from the previous day’s Circle and the everyday gandhis boys and Esther. We began again with the introduction to Safe Space, and the topic of Domestic Abuse took the floor. This subject was actively debated between the men and women in the Circle; the practice of some women encouraging abuse as a demonstration of love was especially interesting to both sides. Some of the women admitted to feeling this way at some point. We discussed the dangers of small acts of violence escalating to more dangerous forms, and Mama shared a story of a woman she knew who accidentally killed her boyfriend from hitting his head in a domestic dispute. This was sobering to the group and both sides spoke against violence.

Also discussed in the Circle of Girls were the topics of safe sex and condom use, pregnancy and abortion, infidelity in relationships, sexual abuse and incest, and rape. Bethelson shared a personal story on the topic of sexual abuse that made the group both laugh and reflect seriously. During the discussion of rape, men were encouraged to take personal responsibility for their actions, and the discussion seemed to me to be empowering for both women and men. Women should not be to blame for any violence committed against them, and men should not be denied the credit of being capable of controlling their actions.

The conclusion of the Circle discussion was that the discussion had only begun, and should be continued and encouraged within the community of youth. Refreshments were again shared, and those who could stay watched “Akeela and the Bee,” an inspirational American film.

What really stood out to me during these Circles was just how much can be accomplished during one short discussion. Volumes were spoken and shared within the short span of these two afternoons. The discussion must continue. It doesn’t take more than a few encouraging words and a safe space to get a Circle going, and much can be gained from the simple sharing of knowledge and experience. As soon as women start talking honestly about what it means to be a woman, the issues shared by all remind us that we are not alone in our struggles, even when we disagree. When men and women start talking honestly about what it means to uphold a gender role or expectation, the issues shared by all remind us that we have more in common than we remembered. These Circles are enlightening as well as healing, and encouraging to all.

I could see from the beginning of my short stay in Voinjama that Everyday Gandhis is an organization well respected by the community, and the more I interacted with people, the more this was confirmed to me. It was a pleasure and a blessing to be hosted by such a generous group, from those in Voinjama, Monrovia, and the US! I am grateful to Sam for the safe and enjoyable journey, to Bethelson for his valuable stories and entertainment, to Jake as always for the support, encouragement, and fatherly care; to Mama Kanneh, Roberts, and everyone at the EGP house for their warmth and hospitality; and, of course, to Bill and Cyndie for their generous willingness to host and support me and for their involvement in such positive and inspiring community projects.

Thank you!

Laura Berlinger

Sonnie: Sonnie is Married and has three children, one girl and two boys. Before the war she was living in Voinjama going to school. But after the war, she has not gone to school because her father was killed. Since her father died she has suffered a lot, since she has no one to play her father’s role. She is now a business woman, starting her business with one hundred dollars. She now has $500. She said one of the good things she can always do is to advise her friends to pray and wants to go higher with her success.

Written by Esther Kpaku

Ma Weedor Akoi: My name is Weedor Akoi, and I am 42 years of age. I am now living in Voinjama City. I am working with the W.F.P., World Food Program, as a sweeper. Actually, before the war, there was great suffering for me and my children because at that time we were depending on the farming activites. I experienced the 1990 war where many of our brothers and sisters were killed by the fighting groups. Because of this, my family and I went into the bush where we spent a lot of time. We lived in the bush until we were able to enter into Guinea. Living in Guinea was also better in one way because we lived off the grain and ground, but in the other way it was a struggle for almost two years and eight months when we made a very large Cassava Farm for eating and selling to sustain our life.

There is no more war in our country Liberia and my family and I came back.
Again in 2002 another war broke out at home where we had to again go back into the bush, where there was no food and no source for water. After a few months the Lord Rebels came into the bush and met us and said we have to go to Kolahum where there was a series of attacks by the Government soldiers, which is Charles Taylor Rebels.  The experience I had during that time was that many killings went on, where life and property were destroyed by Taylor Rebels.  And now I am living in a community called Lookintown where I associate myself with many people and people who love me and my children.

When I was growing up, my life dream was to help my parents and my family. My life today is that I tell God, thank you for saving my life and my children, but there is still a little suffering we are facing.

 Written by Mohammed Kamara

Pastor James T Korbor: I have been a pastor for the past 16 years. I was working on the roof of the school building when the Lord impressed upon my heart to do this work. I resigned from that work that I was employed to do and I went out from place to place preaching the word of God.  My church was established by missionaries from Sweden in the year 1953. The needs of my church are a new building that seats one thousand persons, men power for the work specifically trained for men, and education for young people.

The things that make me happy is when I see myself doing what the Lord wants me to do in the way he want me to.  What makes me sad is when I go against the way of God.  My dream for Liberia is lasting peace and to improve the lives of its citizens.  There are many needs for ex-combatants, mostly love and concern for community members and support for education, especially financial and moral support.  I think that the US  having a black president is a turning point in the improvement , a true democracy in Africa and the US as a great nation setting up a good example for the world to follow.

Written By Akoi Mawolo

Door, By Morris: This photo is touching to me because where I live before it was not like this. The house where I lived the room door was zinc. We laid the zinc on the stick and made our door. Then I don’t have floor mat, I don’t have sling, mosquito net, shoes, shoe rack, bucket. My windows–no good windows. So yesterday my heart went there. Where I’m living now I thank God. I have everything. That’s the door.

 Girl with a Big Smile, By Akoi: You know I love joy, everywhere I go I love to see joy. This girl she is my classmate, so when in met her in the market I took this photo unknown to her. So the second one I take her and Lassana together. I show this one, she said I should not carry it in the class because people laugh at her. She said I could take the next one. I said I would give her these photos. She said, “Any day you can come to take my photo.”

 Morris Drumming, By Akoi: This was in the night. Andre told me, “How can you see spirits or God?” So I said I’d like to take a photo at night so I could see for myself. The spots are spirits. They come from the drumming. Morris was a Muslim from the time I met him. Throughout the war he and I was together. I saved his life. He taught me to pray. I took that light flash on his face to show he has come from the dark into the light. If I show this picture to my pastor he would say the spots are angels. Every day the Holy Spirit working through you.

Young Girl Carrying Rice in Winnowing Basket, By Esther: The girl with basket. I know her very well. She was coming from across the road. I call her and I say, “Hey, Fatou! Can I take your picture?” And she agree and I show her the picture and she was very happy and said we should give it back to her.

Woman Cultivating her Garden, By Esther: She was in movement when she was hooking. I love the cassava garden so much. When I look at the photo of the palm leaves I love the palm so much and I love the color of green.

Man in Red Shirt Carrying Lumber, By Lassana: I love the movement that the man is in and the color of the shirt he in it have a beautiful color like red on him. The wood on his head he got it from the bush. Sometimes we Liberians go into the bush and cut the wood and sell it. And we cook with it. And also the background was very green and that encouraged me to take this photo.

Young Woman with Greens in the Market, By Ezekiel: Lady slashing potato greens to cook. I like this because the slashing of the green and the orange tub and the color she was wearing are the same and also she is not focusing on me that much. The lapa she is wearing match her bracelet. The lapa is what any African woman can tie on their waist. Her hair was just plaited. She said she just got through plaiting her hair and she was preparing the food.

Three Grasshoppers, By Mohammed: Yesterday I was walking to town and I saw this and took this because the grasshopper is green and yellow and black and I love the position they are in. It is like, “Everyone come to the forum!” Two are there and another is coming. Maybe these two are leaving because the meeting was at 8 o’clock and the other came at 10 o’clock and they say, “Hey man where you been? The meeting was at 8 o’clock!”

Woman with Brightly Colored Plastic Tubs, By Mohammed: This woman has beautiful dishes. She is thinking that ‘Anyone who has money, don’t eat everything, come and buy! When you cook your food you can put them in, when you have dirty dishes you can wash them in, when you have water to carry you can put it in!’

Ezekiel Washing Clothes, By Lassana

Morris Bent Over, Head in Hands, By Varlee: We were having a dream circle. Maybe he was thinking about the day, what he wanted to do, wash clothes or go in town or photograph.  This is beautiful when you see someone bending like that. He is thinking or really sad and that’s what makes it beautiful for me.

Kids in Tree, By Varlee

Thoughts:

Lassana on how he feels with the camera: When I wake up in the morning from bed I say thank you almighty God for the start of the day. I am also happy in myself because I am very strong, not sick. And the photography make me feel the emotion of the person, the beauty of the flower, and the specific color of the insects. And I love going around to take the photo because I will meet person I did not know before and the person will ask me and say, “Wow! Do you take the photo like this in front of me?” And I will come down to that person to say, “My dear friends, I take this photo to know you better so I remember what you was doing before.” And that will encourage the person that he or she may tell some of their story to me and I will get a sheet of paper and understand the story in the proper way. And I will get some of my friend ex-combatants’ story how they feel in the past and how they feel today and also some people in the community.

Mohammed on working with cameras: When Andre came on the first trip he gave me a camera to take a photo. I was afraid because I was not used to it and if I held it too hard it would break. So I said, ‘No.’ Now I got used to the camera so today no fear is in me. I needed a little bit of teaching so I know some parts of the camera. And I’m willing to do it any time he’s ready for me.

What I Love About Children, By Esther: I love so many things about children. Some are: the ways children play together, the ways they talk or sometimes the way they approach ideas. Some children are good while some are very bad. Children are people who are quick to learn from one another and quick to forgive one another. Children are the future leaders of our land and we need to pay special attention to their activities and show concern about them and they will become proud of themselves and do more good things. Finally I love children because they are gifts from God.

Since the chimpanzee came to Barkadu, her only concern has been how to get food to eat. And this is where a small problem arose one day. A woman was said to be passing by with a pan on her head and the chimpanzee tries to see what she was carrying and then a misunderstanding started from there. The woman’s husband thought that the Baboon was attacking his wife. So the chimpanzee and the man went into a violent fight. The man wounded the chimpanzee on her arm with his cutlass and the chimpanzee bit the man’s hand. According to some of the town’s people, the man was sent to a hospital in Guinea for about a month during which time the chimpanzee also went back into the forest for about the same length of time. Since that incident, no other problems have occurred between the chimpanzee and any of the community members. However, whenever she is hungry she still wants to look into people’s baskets, buckets and pans for food such as bananas. But most of the people are beginning to understand her now and they are being generous to her.

When Superintendent Kortimai invited our EGP team to inform us about the chimpanzee, he showed us a letter that described her (the baboon) as very dangerous and harassing people in the Barkadu and Kuluka areas. That evening, we immediately paid a visit to Barkadu. We were lucky to see the chimpanzee sitting right at the front of a man named Mohammed Sankor`s house eating banana straws. I was so amazed although the whole scene appeared so very familiar to the town’s people. As we carefully tried to take still photos that evening, we were told that the baboon doesn’t like cameras. If it sees that one is trying to take a shot of her, she would run back into the bush crying. And for sure she did when a man using his digital camera with flash ran the chimpanzee into the bush. Mohammed Sankor, the man whom the chimpanzee trusts so very much, did manage to get her back to town. But they could only remain on the main road waiting for us to leave. We left that evening, in utter disappointment, without me getting a clear shot of the chimpanzee. Before leaving though Sankor told us that the chimpanzee sleeps in the bush and returns the next day around 7:00 AM.

We got our team ready the next morning March 27, 2009 equipped with enough bananas and a TV camera. This time around, the “old lady”as someone called the female chimpanzee, was sitting right by the road side at the intersection of Kuluka and Barkadu where the UNMIL check point is mounted. One of the EGP team members, Master General automatically became a new friend of the baboon when he started feeding her with the bananas as we filmed, all to the amazement of commuters and those who were passing with their products heading to their usual Friday Voinjama market.

Interestingly, where the chimpanzee was that morning is exactly where the Kuluka School project which EGP helped to construct is situated. So that morning, classes appeared interrupted as the students were all there taking a good look at the chimpanzee. After having fun that morning and learning that the chimpanzee is rather friendly, but not harmful, we went to Barkadu town to get the actual story of how she lives with the people. The details of this story come on film soon.

William Jacobs