Liberia
CRS helps host communities in Liberia where thousands of refugees from the Ivory Coast, like Leonce Piuti and her family, have settled. Photo by Helen Blakesley/CRS
Following the end of the civil war in 2003, Liberia maintains a fragile peace but is gradually returning to normalcy in terms of economic and civil society development. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was re-elected for a second term in 2011, but charges of corruption and nepotism continue to undermine her administration and her ability to implement sustainable reforms.
Catholic Relief Services is currently implementing agriculture and HIV projects in five counties. CRS is working with farmers in four counties in the Southeast on two projects focusing on improving rice and cassava yields for small household farmers by introducing improved farming techniques, time-saving technologies and better access to markets. The Faithful House project is being implemented in one county and promotes marital fidelity to mitigate the spread of the HIV virus among married couples.
Learn more about our work in Liberia.
CRS' Commitment to Catholic Teaching
Latest Stories From Liberia
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Ivory Coast Refugees Give Thanks for Welcome
Your generosity helps more families help more families, such as Liberians who are opening their homes—often indefinitely—to those fleeing Ivory Coast. »»
Comfort for Ivory Coast Refugees
They fled violence in their country and landed in Liberia, where CRS is building shelters and preparing rice fields. »»
Stats
| Population: | 3,887,886 (July 2012 est.) |
| Size: | 42,999 sq. mi.; slightly larger than Tennessee |
| People Served: | 132,000 (2012 est.) |
History
Catholic Relief Services initially provided emergency assistance after the start of the civil war. While the presidential election of 1997 brought Charles Taylor to power, the civil conflict continued in the outlying counties and eventually arrived in the capital, Monrovia, during the summer of 2003. Charles Taylor went into exile that August, and a transitional government was put into place in October. Soon after the warring factions laid down their arms after 14 years of conflict.
As the new national government was being shaped, the Catholic Church, CRS Liberia and international donor agencies continues working on emergency programming but has also started implementing development projects simultaneously.
CRS Liberia currently employs 29 national and 6 international staff. The agency's office is located in the capital city of Monrovia.
Programs
AgricultureHIV and AIDS