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VOLUNTEERING FOR THE MDGS

One Vision

The newsletter of volunteers working in support of Peace and Development in Liberia

International Volunteer Day 2010Commemorative Issue

SRSG Madame Ellen Margrethe Løj and DSRSG, Mr. Mustafa Soumaré speak with William Thompson, Executive

Director of Liberia National Youth Congress at the IVD 2010 exhibition “ Share the Story- Volunteering for the MDGs”

01 Jan 2011

Volume 2, Issue 1

Photograph by:

Emmanuel Tobey, PIO , UNMIL

Message from:Mr. Moustapha Soumaré

DSRSG (R&G)/

Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian

Coordinator& UNDP Resident

Representative

I am pleased to welcome the publication of this commemorative edition of One Vision, withthe inspiring theme ‘Volunteering for the MDGs.’ Nothing can be more pressing in Liberia

today than achieving the Millennium Development Goals as such volunteering towards thatend is most laudable!

The Millennium Development Goals are crucial for peace and accelerated development inLiberia. This realization has led the Government of Liberia to redouble its efforts, through the

Poverty Reduction Strategy, to address the challenges of development. Some notablesuccesses have been made, as evidenced by the Liberia 2010 MDG Report, the MDG3Award and the African Gender Award for 2011. Nonetheless, much more remains to bedone to meet the goals by the 2015 target date. It is gratifying, therefore, that volunteersare going to be mobilized in support of the MDGs.

Key in advancing Liberia’s development is the spirit of voluntarism which UNV encourages.

The young people of this country have demonstrated this spirit through the National YouthVolunteer Service, sponsored and guided by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and supportedby UNDP. They have been making significant impact in several sectors, including educationand agriculture. The Volunteers for Peace Programme have made headway in several

communities in promoting peace and reconciliation, so have other organizations such asthe United Youth Movement against Violence, Liberia National Youth Congress, Messengersof Peace, Calvary Empowerment Team and others, I am hopeful that the UNV will capitalizeon the prevailing abundance of goodwill on the part of the youth to deepen the volunteerspirit.

As UNMIL and the Government of Liberia work toward transition planning for thepeacekeeping mission, it becomes more imperative for Liberians, the young people inparticular, to assume full ownership of the development process. This is where UNV would bemost helpful. Volunteers should enhance the building of capacity for their localcounterparts, who should also be imbued with the spirit of voluntarism. Collaboration withDevelopment Partners should be strengthened to ensure maximum impact of efforts

towards poverty reduction and achievement of the MDGs.

It is my ardent hope that young Liberians will come, in increasing numbers, to volunteer theirminds and energies towards achieving the MDGs and that UNV will intensify the efforts tobuild local capacities. The future lies in the hands of these young people and they shouldbe given every encouragement and opportunity to shape it.

Moustapha SoumaréDeputy Special Representative of the Secretary General

Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian CoordinatorUNDP Resident Representative

Message from:Mr. William Thompson

Executive Director

Liberia National Youth Congress

(LNYC)

To all who leave their families, loved ones behind volunteering their God-given talents to save themost depressed and vulnerable, Greetings.

Unlike other international UN lead initiatives, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are uniqueto development in that it binds very poor countries to very rich countries. For instance, it is clearlyarticulated in the MDGs document that developing countries should “adopt development strategiesbold enough to meet the Millennium Development Goals”, and wealthy countries should increaseassistance to a level “based on actual needs to meet the Millennium Development Goals.” Coming

from 14 unbroken years of civil unrest, Liberia has taken bold steps in achieving the MDGs by firstdeveloping an Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy (IPRS), second, by developing and implementingthe Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) third, and most importantly, by the involvement of volunteeryouths and organizations aiding in the achievement of the MDGs.

Meeting the deadline for the MDGs is not an easy task for countries coming out of civil wars. Threecardinal issues have to be promptly addressed: economic reversals, extremely weak institutionalpolicies and capacities, and financial insecurity in every sector. Liberia is not an exception to thesechallenges, but looking back to 2003, when our beloved country was considered a failed state, andcomparing it to today, as we are now considered among the community of nations, I canhypothesize that Liberia is on the right trajectory for achieving the MDGs.

Achieving the MDGs is an inclusive process and cannot rest on government alone. To this end,several voluntary organizations in Liberia are actively involved in various useful MDGs-related work.We want to applaud and acknowledge these organizations especially the United Nations Volunteers(UNVs), Liberia National Youth Congress (LNYC), the National Youths Volunteer Service (NYVS), ShirleyAnn Sullivan Educational Foundation (SASEF), Youth for Community Academic & DevelopmentServices (YOCADS), and Calvary Empowerment Team (CET) among others. In spite of theseconsiderations, there are still numerous challenges ahead if we are to reduce the high level of infantmortality, curtail the spread of HIV/AIDs, enhance basic primary education and enable the poorestpeople to earn-up a minimum acceptable standard for hollistic human development by 2015.

Finally, as we celebrate the international year of volunteers, I want to encourage all volunteersaround the world, those who are in Sudan helping to stabilize that country, those in Iraq, volunteers inSomalia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Haiti, and here in Liberia. Individuals helping to positively changeour world by feeding the hungry, clothing the needy and finding shelter for the depressed. One stepat a time we can all achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

William Thompson, IIExecutive DirectorLiberia National Youth Congress (LNYC)

Monrovia, Liberiathompsonwilliam2004@yahoo.com

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VOLUNTEERING FOR THE MDGS

In Liberia, volunteerism plays a critical function in promoting peace and

development. More than 264 UNV Volunteers are actively involved in

programme activities ranging from Civil Affairs, Human Rights,

Reintegration and Recovery to other social programmes including

HIV/AIDS, Humanitarian Coordination, Truth and Reconciliation, Gender

Mainstreaming and Violence against Women.

In recognition of the collective efforts of volunteers globally, the

International Volunteer Day (IVD) for economic and social development

was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1985. Since then,

governments, the UN System and civil society organizations have

successfully joined volunteers around the world to celebrate this day. The

theme for this year’s celebration is “Volunteering for the MDGs”.

Our local partners have also been doing a lot of work across Liberia. Weshare their stories.

International Volunteer Day

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MDGS & THE POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY (PRS)

MDGs Link to National Development Agenda in Liberia

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) declared in the Millennium Declaration are a resultof the 2000 Millennium Summit which took place in New York among leaders of the world.Liberia, faced with civil conflict at the time, did not participate in the Summit and therefore wasnot a signatory of the MDGs. However, after the crisis in 2003, the new government led by HerExcellency Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, endorsed the MDGs declaring that the Government willincrease its effort to achieve the MDGs in her inaugural address she delivered on July 16, 2006.

Nonetheless, due to the outcome of the civil crisis, the Government inherited a broken downinfrastructure and service delivery which threatened peace and security. According to the

government the key priorities are to restore and achieve the recovery, which is strategic enoughto put the country on a development trajectory platform.

Due to this, the government development plans the Poverty Reduction Strategy focused onmaintaining peace, restoring the rule of law, economic revitalization and basic infrastructure.Two of the PRS pillars, III and IV, are linked to some MDGs targets. Pillar III is linked to Goal 1,eradicating extreme hunger and poverty, and Goal 8, targeting creating decent job for theyouth. Pillar IV; restoring infrastructure and delivering basic services is linked to Goals 2, 4, 5 and 6on education and health.

Just before this year’s MDGs summit in September, the MDGs acceleration framework (MAF) was

developed and rolled out to accelerate the achievement of the MDGs. At the end of thesummit there was an outcome document declaring that governments and partners will keepthe promise and accelerate effort to achieve the MDGs. The Government of Liberia and UNDPon Friday on 19th November launched the 2010 MDGs Report along with the National andInternational Human Development Reports. According to the MDGs report, the governmentbelieves that it is likely to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment, HIV/ AIDs,malaria, and other diseases and Global Partnership for development, 3 of the 8 MDGs.

The next step is to accelerate the achievement of the MDGs based on the endorsement of theMDGs Summit outcome document and the acceleration framework. Working in partnership with

UNDP, the Government will align policies and priorities with MDGs challenges. The Governmentplans to scale up targeted interventions, based on experiential proven practices based on athree pronged approach.

Investing in the multiplier effect: Access to safe water and basic sanitation;

Investing in innovation: Conditional Cash Transfers for the MDGs Social protection andemployment programmes and;

Scaling-up integrated local-level initiatives: Expanding local services to support MDGachievement.Additionally, the next national visioning plan will be MDGs based.

ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTYAND HUNGER

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SHIRLEY ANN SULLIVAN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION (SASEF)

SASEF’s goal is to add “A Seat in the Class and a

Job to Pay for It” to National Youth Policy

worldwide by using community service as a

strategy to develop employable skills for youth.

We suggest young people use their community

service hours as currency to secure a job paying

a decent wage that allows them to pay for their

education, whether it is high school, college,university, or vocational school.

SASEF Focus on Liberia- Give Us A Chance

Liberia!

Give Us A Chance Liberia! Serves to provide

guidance to young people who simply do not

know “how to” map a plan for their future, or to”

find quality and affordable job skill training or the

financial resources further educational

opportunities so that they become self-sustaining

productive individuals in society as well as build

the capacity of youth and their organizations

through service learning using the United NationsMillennium Development Goals.

Through the Shirley Ann Sullivan Educational Foundation’s global initiative “A Seat in the Class and a Job toPay for It”, we propose including community service to national youth policy as the catalyst in providing

solution to the worldwide challenge of youth unemployment and poverty reduction.

Above: Rhonda Staudt,

Founding Chair, SASEF

Left: SASEF YVL Victor Chandi,

Rhonda Staudt (SASEF

Founder) and Vivian Nahfacilitating workshop on “how

to” create a community

service project using theMDGS as the framework.

ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTYAND HUNGER

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UNV/NYVS Volunteers in Zwedru City, led by Human Rights Officer, UNV Emmanuel BrymaMomoh, and in consultation with the National Union of Disability (NUD)-Grand Gedeh Branch, inan effort to participate in poverty reduction and provide livelihood opportunities for people withphysical challenges, agreed to undertake the planting of vegetable gardens. The National Unionof Disability is an open initiative by persons with physical and mobility disabilities. Theorganization's primary objective is to empower its members.

THE GARDEN PROJECT (UNV-NYVS SUPPORTED PROJECT)

The impact of the project has been substantial. Since the project was initiated, a number ofgardens have sprung up around Zwedru City in Grand Gedeh County, with a number of thecommunities recognizing the importance of growing their own food by voluntarily startingvegetable gardens. The project has expanded from the initial two small gardens to four. The

largest being three-acre plot of land located in Zwedru Sea just outside Zwedru City. Thestandard of living of the participants has improved now that they have some income from thesale of the produce to better the lives of their families and to reinvest in the project.

The National Disability Task Force is making plans to duplicate the project across Liberia.

L to R: NUD Secretary, Dickson Bengarwo & Chairman, Shard Anthony congratulate each other on a fine harvest

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ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION

CALVARY EMPOWERMENT TEAM (CET)CET promotes timely and quality education through its annual Back to School Awareness

campaign. Achieving MDG #2 which aims to ensure that boys and girls alike complete

full course of primary education, and to increase literacy of young people ages 15-24,

men and women.

Project Title:

Back To School Awareness

Theme: Give Education A Chance

Goal: To create awareness on the

importance of education

Objectives:

To conduct massive awareness in

five major communities in Firestone

on the importance of education

To encourage parents to send their

children back to school instead of

selling in the streets

To provide assorted school

materials to children participating in

the awareness campaign.Location: Firestone, Harbel, Margibi County

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ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION

CEDPAC, is a rights advocacy group, actively promoting children’s rights. The organisationfocuses on the need to help bring sharper focus on children’s rights. Our dealings with learning

institutions is becoming an increasingly significant campaign process to which CEDPACattaches great importance in its drive for local, national and international partnerships forhealth, education and HIV and AIDS.

THE CENTER IN DEMAND FOR PARENTAL CARE (CEDPAC),

Our achievements:

Active child participation in their rights awareness through the advocacy and

education of the established schools clubs on the CRC,

Sensitized and educated urban community residents on children’s rights and

protections as enshrined in the UDHR, CRC and other international and regional

instruments,

Deliberate child rights abuses and violations, including SGBV, are being

discouraged as the school-based clubs carry out robust rights advocacy and

education as well as monitoring, investigation, documentation and reporting thatprovide grounds for appropriate actions/measures against perpetrators.

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ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION

UNITED YOUTH MOVEMENT AGAINST VIOLENCE (UYMAV)

Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the school are:

To create in the children of the James M. Boley Inter-estate community love for oneanother, patriotism and intellectual growth as a lifelong process.

To encourage the desire for quality education through formal education.

To help create a holistic outlook for life and service that will motivate thechildren/students to apply sound principles to moral and social problems.

To provide job opportunities for members of the community.

The Kingsley Lington School System (KLSS) was established by the UYMAV in August

2009, but commenced operation in September 2009. is Located in the James M. BoleyInter-estate Fendell, Louisiana Township, Montserrado County.

The establishment of the Kingsley Lington School System was necessitated by the eager

desire of the children of school going age within the James M. Boley Inter-estate and its

surrounding towns/villages, to go to school within their immediate surroundings. Findings

review that it is a distance, and dangerous for the little ones to commute from the BoleyInter-estate to either Fendell or Mount Barclay for school.

PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY & EMPOWER WOMEN

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The VSLA is a pilot project designed to promote women economic empowerment at the

county level through volunteerism. It is a UNV-NYVS supported scheme that helps rural

women who have no access to banks or credit to build their businesses. It was

established in four communities in the Salala District , Bong County in 2009 in the absence

of financial institutions in local villages, the VSLA will provide the means of credit for

communities.

THE VOLUNTEER SAVINGS AND LENDING ASSOCIATION VSLA)

Plans are now afoot to expand

the VSLA programme to other

communities in order to help

empower vulnerable women

economically. The next step is

the conversion of the

programme to a credit union.

The VSLA has proven to be an

excellent way for single

mothers to be able to expand

their businesses and cater to

their children.

REDUCE CHILD MORTALITYM

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The UNV Programme Liberia

collaborated with Civil society- United

Youth Movement Against Violence

(UYMAV), Armed Forces of Liberia

(AFL), The American Embassy Medical

Unit, UNICEF, UNMIL and UNV to ensure

hold two medical outreach clinics for

the children at the School for the Blind

in Virginia Township on 23rd October

2010 and the Kingsley Lington

Elementary School in Fendell on 30th

October 2010 .

Both events were well attended as the

communities took the opportunity to get

free medical checkups for their children,

some of whom had never seen a

doctor.

Child mortality continues to be a major

challenge for Liberia.

IMPROVE MATERNAL HEALTHM

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YOCADS in collaboration MDGs Campaigners launched the PIGA DEBE Campaign for

Women’s Rights on March 5, 2008 at Krystal Ocean View Hotel in Mamba Point, Monrovia.

THE YOUTH FOR COMMUNITY ACADEMIC & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES (YOCADS)

YOCADS has initiated this project with support from the UN Millennium Campaign (UNMC)

with sensitization, education and recommendations to ensure that all political leaders

meet their commitments to Millennium Development Goal No. 5

The prioritization of investment in women’s health;

Increased access to quality reproductive health;

Skilled health workers at delivery and adequate anti/post-natal care.

The PIGA DEBE Campaign for

Women’s Rights program is being

carried out in Montserrado, Bomi,

Cape Mount, Margibi, Nimba, and

Gbapolu Counties. There are plans to

extend the program throughout

Liberia.

IMPROVE MATERNAL HEALTHM

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CALVARY EMPOWERMENT TEAM (CET)CET volunteers on a mobile clinic campaign in Charlesville, Margibi County, work toward

achieving MDG 4 & 5 that seek to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health.

An assessment conducted showed that many people in Charlesville cannot afford for

medical care or educational materials for their kids. It was against this background that

CET in collaboration with Church Aid, Inc. a Ministry of New Water in the Desert, launched

its mobile clinic in December of 2009. Professional nurses volunteered their services for

these outreach exercises.

Project Title: CET Mobile Outreach Program

Goal: To provide immediate relief and medical

assistance to vulnerable communities.

Objectives:

To provide assorted school materials to underprivileged children;

To provide immediate medical care for children, women and elders in slum communities;

To provide immediate relief assistance for underprivileged pregnant women, breastfeeding

mothers, and the elderly.

Location: Charlesville, Lower Margibi County

COMBAT HIV/AIDS, MALARIA & OTHER DISEASES, HALT &REVERSE THE SPREAD OF HIV/AIDS

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HIV/AIDS Awareness in Rural LiberiaLIBERIA NATIONAL YOUTH CONGRESS (LNYC)

In order to contribute to Goal 6 of the MDGs, the Liberia National Youth Congress (LNYC) inJanuary 2009 launched an intensive HIV/AIDS awareness campaign in Salala and TototaTowns, Salala District, Bong County, Liberia.

Many times in Liberia the message of HIV/AIDS does not go down well with villagers

because “sex” is shrouded in secrecy and not to be discussed in public. Additionally,

language barrier is a major challenge to the dissemination of HIV messages. In order to

overcome these barriers, LNYC held a one-day intensive training of trainers (TOT)

workshop with 20 members (15 males and 5 females) of the two selected towns. Theworkshop addressed:

Knowledge about how HIV/AIDS can be transmitted,Prevention methods,

Counseling,Testing methods and where to go for testing,How to take care of infected patients

Since Salala and Totota are bigger towns withseveral villages attached to them, selectedparticipants were encouraged to use Kpellevernacular to spread HIV/Aids messages in theirrespective villages .

ENSURE ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY

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KICK for Your Future Youth Project started in January 2008 as a pilot project, based on a

multi-dimensional approach to youth and community development.

The general aim of the program is to contribute to the development of an educated class

of young Liberians with the capacity to play a meaningful, responsible and productive

role in society. The program/project has created an opportunity for youths to play soccer

and participate in cultural activities as a means of developing social skills. Additionally, the

program has been sensitizing young people on proper waste management practices and

encourages them to become involved in waste collection, thus reducing littering and itsnegative impact by ensuring a clean and health environment.

THE YOUTH FOR COMMUNITY ACADEMIC & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES (YOCADS)

The project currently is creating new perspectives for young people ensuring that they contributeto the development of Liberia to buttress the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) and theachievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to continue to lift Liberia

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DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS FOR DEVELOPMENT

The AFL Medical Unit partnered

with the UNV Programme

Liberia, UYMAV, UNICEF, UNMIL,

Liberia Defence Sector Reform

(LDRC)and others to bring

much needed medical aid to

children at the School for the

Blind and the Kingsley Lington

Elementary School in Fendell,

Paynesville.

ARMED FORCES OF LIBERIA PARTNERS WITH UNV

Developing the right partnerships can

have a positive impact on the speed

of development in Liberia particularly

where it impacts transfer of

knowledge, skills and technology.

IVD 2010 IN PICTURES

IVD 2010 IN PICTURES

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VOLUNTEERING FOR THE MDGS

Liberia National Youth Congress (LNYC)Youth in Action for the Promotion of the Gospel of Christ (YAPOGC)

University of Liberia Volunteer Movement (ULVM)Youth for Community Academic and Development Services (YOCADS)

Shirley Ann Sullivan Educational Foundation (SASEF)Christian Media Center (CMC)

Calvary Empowerment Team (CET)Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP-Liberia)

Center In Demand for Parental Care (CEDPAC)United Muslim Women Advocacy and Empowerment Organization

(UMAEO)Rural Integrated Center for Community Empowerment (RICCE)

Union of Muslim Association of Bomi and Gbarpolu Counties (UMABGCO

National Youth Organizations

UNV PROGRAMME, LIBERIA in collaboration with

Design & GraphicsMHJ Sarah

One VisionPublished by:

UNV Programme Liberiaunmilunvsupportoffice@un.org