Like any other country, this is a nation where you can meet many awesome people. Unfortunately, it is also a country where most of the children wish they had enough to eat; their parents wish they had enough education to earn an income to provide for their own children. They deserve opportunities that you and I take for granted. These are people who have been devastated by the effect of a warlord and by an Ebola epidemic; people who want to rebuild their country; people who desperately need our assistance.
Liberia is 175th out of 189 countries on the Human Development Index (HDI) as a result of their economy being destroyed through wars and an Ebola epidemic. Throughout West Africa, the age for sexual consent is low in relation to the world average, making children more vulnerable. 18 of the bottom 20 countries on the HDI are in Africa. At the same time, it is noteworthy that there are 86% Christians in Liberia (75% Protestant), so the people's fundamental belief system is honesty and integrity. Desperation draws people away from making the best choices, but there is a solid base of ethical desire. We plan to empower these people to make their country and the countries around them better places to live. It would likely be easier to get donations if we were to feed children directly and leave their parents helplessly on the sidelines. Instead, we choose to provide strategic employment for parents so that families have an income to provide for their children. There is a place for food programs for children, but it should not be the primary path to alleviating poverty.
