Liberia

"I tell people interested in assisting us that we do not want scholarships to send our children to their schools. Help us to build our schools so our children can go to school here."

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia

14 years of civil war in Liberia has had a devastating impact on children. Virtually nothing of the education system remains as the majority of schools in the country were destroyed and teachers were displaced.

Many children have not had access to education and are now too old to return to primary school. Former child soldiers face being excluded from education as teachers fear they will disrupt lessons.

Girls' education has been especially affected. Rape and sexual violence were frequently used as weapons of war and, coupled with a tradition for early marriage, there are now a large number of young mothers who are unable to go to school.

Children in Crisis in Liberia

Children in Crisis is working with local organisation Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) to rebuild schools so that children are able to attend classes in an environment that is conducive to quality learning.

Children in Crisis and FAWE are also running a Girls' Education Project, training teachers and running community awareness-raising sessions to ensure quality education for girls and to promote the value of girls' education. We have also constructed a Vocational Training Centre (VTC) in River Cess County where girls and young women, who would otherwise not have the chance to go to school, are attending classes to improve their earning potential and their economic independence:

• Since 2008 Children in Crisis has trained 200 teachers in basic and specialized teaching methodologies, gender and post-conflict issues
• We have constructed a Vocational Training Centre (VTC) in River Cess County and since September 2009, 140 women and girls have been attending literacy classes and training in tailoring, hairdressing and pastry
• The VTC also runs a creche which provides a stimulating and engaging environment for children so that childcare does not pose an obstacle to young mothers attending classes

The increased awareness of girls and women's rights among teachers, communities, and girls and women themselves that our Girls' Education Project provides empowers girls and women to realize their rights and to act as agents for positive change in their communities.