1

1. DANISH REFUGEE COUNCIL ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2

2. DANISH REFUGEE COUNCIL IN WEST AFRICA .......................................................................................................................................... 3

2.1. CROSS-BORDER APPROACH ............................................................................................................................................................................... 3

2.2. FRAMEWORK OF INTERVENTION .......................................................................................................................................................................... 4

2.3. OBJECTIVES ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4

2.4. SECTORS OF INTERVENTION ............................................................................................................................................................................... 4

2.5. OPERATIONAL PRINCIPLES ................................................................................................................................................................................. 5

3. DANISH REFUGEE COUNCIL IN LIBERIA .................................................................................................................................................... 6

3.1. CONTEXT OF INTERVENTION ............................................................................................................................................................................... 6

3.2. STAKEHOLDERS ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8

3.3. PROJECTS AND BUDGET ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 8

4. DANISH REFUGEE COUNCIL’S ACTIVITIES IN LIBERIA ........................................................................................................................... 10

4.1. EBOLA RESPONSE ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 10

4.2. PROTECTION ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11

4.3. REFUGEE CAMP MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................................................................................ 15

4.4. CHILD PROTECTION AND EDUCATION ................................................................................................................................................................ 16

4.5. EARLY RECOVERY AND LIVELIHOODS ................................................................................................................................................................. 17

4.6. WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE .................................................................................................................................................................... 21

4.7. INFRASTRUCTURE REHABILITATION ................................................................................................................................................................... 22

5. KEY FIGURES IN 2014 ............................................................................................................................................................................... 23

6. PERSPECTIVE FOR 2015 ........................................................................................................................................................................... 24

2

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a private,

independent, non-profit organization, founded in 1956 and

currently working in more than 30 countries throughout the

world.

DRC is devoted, on the basis of humanitarian principles and

the Human Rights Declaration, to supporting the protection

of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), and to

promoting durable solutions to the problems linked to

forced migration. DRC works in the context of conflict-

induced displacements of populations and in return and

reintegration situations.

DRC achieves our mission with a holistic approach by:

Providing direct assistance to conflict affected

populations – refugees, IDPs and host communities in

conflict riddled areas of the world;

Providing assistance to refugees and asylum seekers

in Denmark;

Defending the cause of conflict affected people, in

Denmark and throughout the world.

3

Present in southeast Liberia since 1998, DRC initiated a

cross-border approach in 2006, based on displacement

patterns stemming from the conflicts in the West African

region. Since then, DRC has designed our programming and

operational presence around the displacement axis

centered on the borders between Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia and

Guinea. From 2012, in response to the substantial

displacement situation resulting from the on-going

humanitarian crisis in Mali and neighboring countries, DRC

has expanded our response in the West African region to

include a second displacement axis on the Mali and Burkina

Faso border area.

Ethnic, cultural, linguistic and historical ties between groups

living in the border areas provide favorable terrain for

commercial interactions and allow populations fleeing crisis

and conflict to seek protection in the neighboring countries.

However, these border areas are also volatile and prone to

conflicts, insecurity and trafficking of all kinds. Moreover,

access to infrastructure and basic services remains limited.

Thus, displaced populations - particularly women and

children - are placed in a very vulnerable situation that can

lead to abuse. In addition, the resilience of host

communities is often too frail to protect and integrate

displaced populations.

The West African region has the highest level of migration in

the continent. Migration push factors such as food

insecurity, youth exclusion, and social cohesion

deterioration have to be considered when aiming to promote

stability, recovery and resilience. The massive migration

between the West African countries has had immense

negative impacts concerning the spread of the Ebola Virus

Disease (EVD). Consequently, Liberia closed its borders in

July 2014 to avoid the further spread of EVD. Until 2015, the

borders have remained closed – except from aerial routes

and humanitarian corridors

4

To address the complexity of the causes and patterns of

regional displacements in West Africa, DRC has developed

a framework of assistance based on:

A community inclusive approach to analyze

vulnerabilities and protection needs.

This approach results in specific and targeted responses

that adapt to the differentiated needs of people living in

border areas including: refugees, stateless persons,

internally displaced persons (IDPs), host communities,

mixed migrants, ex-combatants and youth at risk etc.

A comprehensive understanding of protection issues

within a continuum from emergency to recovery and

resilience.

With the aim of ensuring the protection of vulnerable

populations by addressing their immediate protection

needs, but at the same time enhance their socio-

economic capacities.

Saving lives and alleviate immediate suffering among

conflict-affected populations,

Strengthen livelihood assets and capacities among

conflict affected populations, ensuring resilience and

durable solutions for vulnerable populations,

Enhancing local institutional capacities for ensuring

delivery of essential social services.

DRC West Africa has structured the programs around the

protection sector which is supported by a number of sub-

sectors:

Child protection and education,

Conflict prevention, conflict resolution and social

cohesion,

Food Security and agricultural development,

Livelihoods, income generation activities and early

recovery,

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH),

Infrastructure rehabilitation,

EVD response.

Community sensitization on women rights and empowerment of women in Liberia

5

The Human rights based approach is fundamental in all DRC

interventions and is implemented through empowerment,

non-discrimination, participation and accountability.

A humanitarian imperative: the right to receive

humanitarian assistance is a fundamental humanitarian

principle which should be enjoyed by all citizens of all

countries.

Impartiality: DRC provides humanitarian assistance in

proportion to need and with respect to urgency, without

discrimination regarding gender age, race, ethnicity and,

nationality or by political, religious, cultural and

organizational affiliation.

Social Cohesion and inclusiveness: Focusing on one

segment only, would increase tensions. DRC has

adopted an inclusive approach which benefits both

refugee and host communities and thus improves social

cohesion.

Sustainability building on local resources: in order to

ensure sustainability in the assistance provided, the

capacity and ability of national stakeholders are

prioritized. This is done so as to enable the communities

themselves to address displacement challenges and

meet the needs of their population once the DRC

intervention has ended.

Participation: DRC promotes the participation of

beneficiaries, particularly through Community Action

Plans (CAPs) and Community Based Protection

Committees (CBPCs), as the first step in designing and

delivering assistance to communities. Local authorities

and other stakeholders are also systematically involved

in planning and implementation.

Transparency and accountability: DRC is an

independent organization operating in a transparent

manner towards donors, authorities and beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries are involved in the development and

implementation of activities, ensuring accountability in

terms of the assistance that we provide. DRC is certified

under the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP)

standards.

Coordination: DRC programs are implemented in close

coordination with the relevant stakeholders, including

central and local government bodies, as well as

international and national non-governmental

organizations. Moreover, DRC takes part in key

humanitarian clusters and forums.

6

Historically, DRC has focused our

intervention in Liberia in four strategic

Counties bordering neighboring Côte

d’Ivoire and Guinea: Nimba, Grand Gedeh,

River Gee and Maryland. With the onset of

the EVD crisis, DRC commenced

emergency response activities throughout

our intervention zones including Monrovia

City.

The sub-region was marked by 14 years of

civil war in Liberia, the post-electoral crisis

of 2010 in Cote d’Ivoire and recent

political troubles in Guinea. Despite a

gradual normalization of the political

situation, numerous challenges remain to

be addressed in order to ensure peace and stability. These border areas are characterized by weak state presence, widespread

poverty, vulnerability, ethnic tensions, food insecurity, lack of socio-economic infrastructures, low access to basic social

services, presence of ex combatants, land conflicts and serious human rights violations (in particular for women and children).

The current EVD epidemic has further worsened the security and socioeconomic situation in the sub-region due to increased

socioeconomic deterioration, fear, stigmatization and mal-functioning medical systems.

7

The brutal nature of the civil war weakened the already fragile social cohesion of many rural communities and left young

Liberians (including children) without future prospects. One decade after the war, the country still suffers from widespread

underdevelopment, with worrisome indicators in income, poverty, education, health, good governance, sanitation, water and

equality1. In 2014, Liberia experienced the worst Ebola epidemic ever witnessed. The epidemic has been ongoing since March

2014 and resulted in 8,018 confirmed, probable and suspected EVD cases and 3,423 deaths in 2014. The consequences of the

epidemic is not only limited to the direct victims, but includes whole communities that are suffering from indirect effects

including fear, stigmatization, malfunctioning hospitals and thus poor treatment of other diseases. As an attempt to avoid the

spread of EVD, Liberia has closed its borders (except humanitarian corridors and airports) which has negatively influenced the

socio-economic situation. Furthermore, direct effects on EVD affected communities and individuals have drastically reduced

production capacity – both agricultural and non-agricultural.

In the first six months of 2014, DRC facilitated in cooperation with UNHCR the repatriation of 12,000 refugees, mainly from Côte

d'Ivoire, but due to the closed borders, no refugees were repatriated in the latter part of 2014. Liberia still hosts 38.196 refugees

and 1540 other persons of concerns, mainly Ivoirians.

1 According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 2014 Human Development Index, Liberia was the 13th least developed nation in the world.

8

Populations affected by conflicts and its consequences:

refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees,

stateless people and host communities.

Exceptionally in 2014, a large focus has been on directly and

indirectly EVD affected populations.

UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees

LRRRC – Liberian Refugee Repatriation and

Resettlement Commission

Bureau of Immigration Naturalization

Ministries (Ministry of Gender and Development,

Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ministry of

Education, Ministry of Public Works)

DANIDA – Danish International Development Agency

ECHO – European Commission's Humanitarian Aid

and Civil Protection department

NOVO Foundation

UNHCR – The United Nations Refugee Agency

SDC - Swiss Agency for Development and

Cooperation

VIBORG – Danish Commune

US Embassy – Through TAFT Refugee Grant

In 2014, DRC in Liberia realized 7 projects and began

implement 3 new projects, for a total budget of 2.933.379

USD2.

2 Only the months of the projects taking place in 2014 is included.

9

10

Given our regional positioning, DRC responded

region-wide in line with our protection mandate. The

DRC Ebola response was two-pronged and included

two phases of intervention. The first phase comprises

of prevention, awareness and protection activities.

The second phase comprises of a response and

active surveillance in areas heavily affected by Ebola.

DRC initiated awareness rising on prevention in the

existing communities of intervention from March.

From September with co-funding from SDC and

DANIDA, DRC intervened in Monrovia to provide

psychosocial services, material support and

protection to EVD survivors and their families in order

to diminish social threats and conflict and enable the

reinsertion of direct and indirect victims of EVD in

their communities. The project also enhanced the

protection of vulnerable persons and their families through protection monitoring, direct referral of EVD cases to medical

NGO’s, individual/collective assistance, and advocacy in Monrovia.

In December 2014, ECHO funded a DRC Ebola cross border project between Liberia (Nimba County) and Guinea (Forest

Guinea). By applying a similar response on both sides of the border of neighboring countries at the same time, DRC are able to:

11

Ensuring contact tracing of affected people through cross-border movement monitoring,

Share knowledge and information and apply lessons learned on both sides of the border,

Aligning the common perception of the crises,

Strengthen cross-border social cohesion and eventually improve protection of the direct/indirect EVD affected

population,

Revitalize the socioeconomic status by improving cross-border trade in economic exchange poles that has experienced

economic deterioration,

Avoid bad practices duplication.

This cross-border and multi-sectorial approach takes into account the needs and health risks, but also psycho-social impacts

of the epidemic including protection issues (stigmatization, rights violations) and potential conflicts related to existing tensions

that have been exacerbated by the EVD epidemic. As with the DRC Community based approach it works on the premise of

strengthening the existing community capacities with monitoring and early warning systems in the intervention localities. DRC

are through this project intervening in 50 villages and 6 urban centers in 5 sanitary districts in Nimba county including:

Saclepea-Mah, Sannequellie-Mah, Gbehlay-Geh, Tappita, and Zoe-Geh.

Protection activities are an essential part of DRC’s mandate. These aim to defend the rights and the physical, moral and

psychological integrity of each person affected by conflict. In 2014, DRC was able to continue our protection activities in

Northeastern and Southeastern Liberia, through two regional projects, funded by ECHO and DANIDA in the Counties of Nimba,

Grand Gedeh, River Gee and Maryland. The ECHO cross-border project3 and DANIDA funded project4, continued to target 44

communities. The DRC protection intervention strategy is based on three complementary pillars:

3 Cross Border Initiative to Strengthen Resilience, Community-Based Protection and Conflict Prevention Capacities for Peace in The Fragile Border Region of Côte d’Ivoire

and Liberia 4 (Stabilization, Rehabilitation and Recovery Programme for Conflict-Affected Populations in Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia and Guinea, with Focus on Cross-Border Regions)

12

Fight against Human Rights Violations

Fight against socio-economic Vulnerabilities

Reinforcing Social Cohesion and Conflict Prevention and Conflict Management

Protection monitoring poses as the entry point for DRC’s project implementation. It includes the ongoing and systematic

collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative information which allows trends, risks, capacity, and protection needs of

individuals and communities to be monitored over time. This allows DRC to develop a comprehensive protection strategy

through a tailored needs- based response. The protection monitoring activities includes:

Identification, documenting and referral of human right violations to the authorities and the relevant actors,

Protection by DRC’s presence in communities at risk – The ongoing presence and visibility of the DRC teams shields the

populations from rights violations,

Qualitative analysis and identification of protection and social cohesion risks – based on the information, DRC will at any

point have access to a detailed “risk map” encompassing the risk levels in the intervention villages.

Participatory awareness raising events are essential order to influence the process of behavioral changes. Public authorities and

local actors are trained and sensitized, so they can address challenges related to the displacement of people and to respond to

their protection needs. Under the ECHO funded project, awareness-raising sessions on human rights, with a focus on woman

rights and GBV, were organized in the four border counties. In addition, 16 awareness-raising events on protection issues were

conducted by DRC and the protection committees, under the DANIDA funded project, in Nimba, Grand Gedeh, River Gee and

Maryland counties. The themes of these awareness-raising sessions were chosen, in each village, with the protections

committees to be reflective of a local protection concern.

13

Through protection monitoring activities and cross-border studies, DRC has access to protection information and shares it

regularly with humanitarian and state actors, on local, national, and international levels. DRC encourage the full participation of

the communities in advocating for their rights. At a local level, advocacies addressed individually raised protection issues, in

order to implement prevention actions and to provide a quick answer to an identified protection concern in the field for one or

several beneficiaries.

The activities of conflict prevention, conflict resolution and social cohesion are key factors in the establishment of a protective

environment for people and their livelihoods. These activities are integrated in the DRC’s protection strategy. In 2014, DRC

worked with communities to enhance social cohesion by implementing a holistic approach which included livelihood activities,

rights awareness, land conflict prevention, access to justice and protection activities. DRC is focusing on social cohesion, with

a special emphasis on addressing the needs of vulnerable groups and individuals at-risk. Community-based protection

mechanisms are being put in place to address and respond to beneficiaries’ needs. Additionally, projects aims to solidify

relations between citizens and actors of State, increasing trust, by building capacity jointly for lay-leaders and government

agents.

14

DRC aims to reduce the gap in community

awareness regarding GBV through the

arrangement of training workshops and

awareness campaigns. The DRC

Protection Field Monitors, along with the

Community Based Protection Committee

members carry out regular sensitization

sessions for and with the communities

using strong messages with the visual

support of billboards to increase

knowledge and understanding of GBV. The

referral and case management system has

been strengthened by the implementation

of the County Level GBV SOPs. GBV

coordination meetings are held monthly,

with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, LNP, UNMIL, HR and other agencies, where cases are being

discussed and referrals being followed-up. In order to reach out to all beneficiaries, workshops have been conducted for both

female youth and male youth.

International women’s day – Awareness raising campaign on the reduction of GBV organized by DRC in Liberia

15

Since April 2011, The DRC Refugee Camp Management project has offered multi-sectorial protection and assistance to Ivorian

refugees living in Little Wlebo Camp, Maryland County. In 2014, DRC continued to provide expertise in the sectors of

Community Services, Protection, Child Protection, Education, Food and NFI Distribution, Livelihoods, WASH and Security. DRC

continued to contribute financially in the areas of livelihoods; designed to promote independence and resilience, and also

supporting refugees who opt for voluntary return. It was DRC’s aim to be able to assist UNHCR and the refugee community to

achieve the durable solution of repatriation through 2014; support for repatriation was provided on both sides of the border,

whereby the beneficiaries were provided with skills training in Liberia and integrated into projects upon return to CdI. However,

due to the EVD outbreak and subsequent border closure the voluntary repatriation was suspended in July for the rest of the

year, therefore, the anticipated uptake of repatriation did not materialize. From the beginning of the EVD outbreak in Liberia and

neighboring countries in March 2014, DRC was involved in prevention activities, primarily through awareness-raising with the

refugee population. As the epidemic continued to deteriorate in June and July, EVD prevention became a primary camp

management activity, with ongoing awareness-raising and outreach being arranged in the local communities.

Refugees in little Wlebo camp supported by DRC in 2014

16

DRC was successful in securing the TAFT Refugee Grant from the US Embassy to address some of the challenges faced by

refugee girls and women in Little Wlebo Camp. The funding complemented the ongoing DRC integrated protection and

community based livelihoods interventions in Maryland by enhancing protection programming for women in Little Wlebo Camp

most notably by supporting female empowerment, literacy skills, access to education and access to income generation

activities for female headed households. Furthermore, a Women’s Centre was constructed in the camp. A second grant was

administered and these activities included agricultural inputs for collective and backyard gardening, support to income

generation, business training, VSLA and market rehabilitation. The Taft Grant also funded the construction of a school in

Saywonken, Maryland County. DRC discounted our activities in LWC as of December 31, 2014.

The portfolio of human rights violations and gender inequities faced by

adolescent girls in Liberia are especially exacerbated and perpetuated

through institutional and socio-cultural norms that do not provide recourse

to legal or social justice. Domestic violence, sexual abuse and exploitation,

limited opportunity for education, early marriage and teenage pregnancy,

among others, are passively permitted throughout the dominant patriarchal

system, which allows for only a low level of female participation in traditional

justice and decision making. Age based relations and hierarchies also mean

that youth, in deference to elders, are passed over in decision making, this

is especially the case for adolescents whose opinions are rarely sought.

These conditions compound and further serve to disempowered adolescent

girls who have no ownership over their rights, their bodies or their voices. DRC commenced a program for Advancing

Adolescent Girls Contribution to Social, Political and Economic Decision Making in Communities in the Border Areas of Eastern

Liberia in 2014 to address these issues.

17

In order to avoid negative gender stereotypes and expectations that are reinforced at the transition from childhood to

adolescence, the project contains a holistic series of activities aimed at addressing the gender inequality and power dynamics

that contribute to females’ weaker position in the community. The rights of females and girls are being upheld to challenge the

prevalence of GBV, the cultural acceptability of teen pregnancy, the preference to support boys’ education over girls and the

pervasiveness of transactional sex. DRC commissioned a survey in June of 486 girls in border communities in eastern Liberia

showing precisely these issues, which has informed and guided subsequent program activities.

Birth registration is recognized as a right of the child in Article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is a key factor to

protect children from violence, abuse and exploitation. Liberia is among countries with the lowest levels of birth registration in

the world. To address this issue, the government of Liberia revitalized in 2010 the country’s universal birth registration and

certification system with the support of UNICEF and other development partners In order to participate in this process, DRC

supported the MoHSW to facilitate mobile birth registration in border areas, under the ECHO funded project. As a result of this

activity over 1,900 children in the border communities received birth certificates.

The strengthening and diversification of livelihoods are crucial for ensuring food security and resilience of vulnerable

populations. DRC supports agricultural, income-generating and economic recovery activities oriented to a large extent towards

women.

The DRC early recovery intervention focuses on the border areas and cross border exchanges. These areas were vastly

destabilized by the Liberian border closure and movement limitations imposed to counter the spread of EVD. This generated a

cession of trade between Ivory Coast and Guinea, and increased illegal movement of people and goods.

18

The Livelihood strategy is based on a multi-dimensional approach including: Income Generation Activities (IGAs), Village

Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) and Capacity building (literacy, technical training, and life skills). This strategy includes

a socioeconomic objective; increasing and diversifies income while including vulnerable people and consolidating community

trade. By including vulnerable people in the intervention activities, the livelihood strategy plays an essential part in the DRC

protection efforts. Indeed, livelihood failures are often the cause of vulnerability, right violations and social cohesion risks. DRC

thus strengthens the beneficiaries’ human, financial and economic capital. Furthermore, this approach allows for improvements

in livelihoods of people including empowerment, income diversification, food security and financial autonomy. Income

diversification and integration of vulnerable people in the IGAs and VSLA groups are by DRC used to enhance food security, as

well as social cohesion.

Including the livelihood strategy in the DRC regional cross-border approach, progressively stabilize and improve social

cohesion in the bordering areas. This strategy has been simultaneous implementation in the border regions, through “mirror

villages” and cross-border exchange activities (Protection committees and IGA/VSLA groups). Finally, ongoing development of

the strategy is based on expertise from currently ongoing projects throughout the region which improve the intervention on all

levels.

19

In rural areas, agriculture is the main

occupation and source of income. In

2014, DRC continued to promote

agricultural development based on better

practices, while including a social

cohesion dimension so as to avoid inter

community tensions over access to land.

Through the DANIDA funded project, DRC

supported the restructuration of 64 farmer

groups in North-eastern and South-

eastern Liberia. This allowed them to

move from subsistence farming to

agriculture-based income generation. A

total of 1,161 beneficiaries (568 women

and 593 men) received support to generate income through agricultural activities and 31 hectares were cultivated with a variety

of crops and vegetables.

According to their varying needs, DRC supported the groups with:

Toolkits and seeds;

Trainings in farming organization and seed bank structure;

Technical mentoring and technical support including food processing, market chain, storage, marketing, etc.

20

To diversify the livelihoods of vulnerable people, DRC supported the

development of individual and collective non-agricultural IGAs (crafts,

small shops, etc.) and IGAs in the agricultural value chain (processing

and marketing). DRC pays particular attention to women in the early

recovery and livelihood activities. Insufficient and inadequate livelihood

opportunities increase the risk for women to be exposed to critical

protection situations. DRC is thus applying a targeted and rights based

approach to strengthen the resilience of women by increasing and

diversifying their income, as well as improving their technical,

organizational and educational skills. In practice, this is done through

women’s groups that will support each other, foster cohesion and

prevent potential conflict. In 2014, 100 economic groups in North-eastern

(35) and South-eastern (65) Liberia were strengthened by DRC to improve

Income generating opportunities. Depending on their needs, the groups

were provided with:

Trainings (adult literacy based on life skills, business skills, saving schemes)

Start-up grants, including in-kind kits and cash grants;

Follow-up and monitoring by DRC’s teams.

Cross Border market exchanges platform to strengthen the cross-border market chain.

Where possible, IGA groups were encouraged to reinvest in VSLA schemes and to open bank accounts once they hit a target

amount of savings. The VSLAs complement Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) as they tend to serve those whose incomes are

irregular and less reliable.

A participatory market surveys was conducted by DRC, showing that 90% of the supported groups improved and diversified

their income.

21

DRC adapts our intervention to the context in the field, to answer the beneficiary populations’ needs, either with emergency

flexible actions, or with more sustainable rehabilitation interventions. Throughout the country, DRC supported the fight against

EVD to spread knowledge on hygiene, hand washing etc. by installing and repairing water pumps and installing hand wash

stations.

In 2014, DRC improved access to water-points through the rehabilitation of 2 wells and hand pumps in two community schools.

The average ratio of students per water-point moved from 500 to 250 in these schools. For each hand dug well, DRC conducted

2 water quality analyses. Moreover, DRC improved access to sanitation facilities through the construction of 22 cubical latrines

and rehabilitation of 4 cubicles in six public schools. The average ratio of students per latrine moved from 50 to 20 in these

schools. To ensure the maintenance of water-points and latrines, and to encourage the dissemination of key hygiene messages,

DRC established 12 health clubs in these schools. In total, these clubs have 240 students, trained and followed-up by DRC’s

teams. The clubs carried out awareness rising on personal hygiene, hand washing and environmental hygiene.

In order to induce good WASH behavior among the communities, DRC conducted sensitization campaigns in 30 villages for

increased awareness of the population on good hygiene and sanitation practices. The communities responded well to the

hygiene approach and were further strengthened by the children’s newfound enthusiasm for environmentalism. 4 wells and 12

latrines were rehabilitated in three community school in Nimba; repair kits were also distributed to the schools for work on the

pumps.

22

In 2014, under the DANIDA and the ECHO funding’s, infrastructure rehabilitation activities was done in Northern and South-

eastern Liberia. 3 new Town Halls were constructed, 2 Town Halls were rehabilitated and 1 school building was rehabilitated.

Access roads to/from the border communities are in many cases barely passable. This jeopardizes the access of the population

to basic services, and markets. In 2014, DRC carried out assessments to identify minor bridges, roads and small-scale

infrastructures to rehabilitate in priority in border areas. These infrastructures were identified with the involvement of the

communities and the local authorities and in consultation with the Ministry of Public Works. The infrastructures rehabilitated by

DRC were selected to create a protective environment enhancing safety of persons, access to social services, livelihood

opportunities, and access to markets for produce and services.

Infrastructure rehabilitation projects led by DRC carry a strong component of community mobilization, sensitization and

ownership by beneficiaries. DRC aims at strengthening the dynamics of social cohesion by encouraging vulnerable people,

especially at-risk youth, to work together for the community. Moreover, the construction project contained collateral benefit

through cash-for-work for local labor, increasing short term employment for community residents.

23

In Liberia 44 Community Based Protection Committees were in place and supported in 2014.

443 individuals received protection assistance (materials, referral, and follow-up).

From January to November, DRC distributed 1296 metric tons to 8792 beneficiaries in the little Wlebo camp.

1005 individuals were supported with non-agricultural income generating activities including 574 women and 431 men.

The Ebola response in Liberia included 103 activities

3 meetings including 11 men and 43 women

81 sensitization events including 3698 men, 4812 women and 3087 children

19 trainings including 227 men and 185 women

24

DRC foresees two particular challenges in 2015; the possible continuation of the spread of the Ebola virus and the organization

of elections in Côte d'Ivoire, which could result in insecurity in border areas and the potential arrival of refugees in Liberia.

The organization is continuing the Emergency response from a regional perspective in line with our protection mandate and

multi-sector programming. DRC has initiated three phases in the Liberian programming. (1) Cross border programming with

Cote d’Ivoire. (2) EVD response and active surveillance for the Liberia-Guinea cross border dynamic. (3) Establish a Liberia-

Sierra Leone cross-border program and open a potential gateway into Sierra Leone operations. A multi-sectorial assessment

will be launched in North Western Liberia, to extend DRC’s outreach in the Region.

The aim of the project is to contribute to post-Ebola rehabilitation and stabilization in the Mano River Union Countries. This will

be done through the further development of a regional portfolio of programs supporting community based protection

mechanism, social cohesion and livelihoods.

Finally DRC will continue to address the socioeconomic situation created by EVD. This will be done through responding to the

challenge of socio-economic integration of youth at-risk, vulnerable people, direct and indirect victims of EVD and poor

communities by providing them with trainings and alternative livelihoods.

In case of an emergency stemming from the 2015 Côte d’Ivoire election, DRC will stay alert and ready to address any

consequences that will increase the flow of refugees towards Liberia.

25

DRC REGIONAL OFFICE Abidjan, Cocody, II Plateaux Vallons Rue des jardins - Lot 2094 Ilot 186. BP 1777 Abidjan 06 - Côte d’Ivoire Phone : (+225) 22 42 00 71 Email: rd-wa@drc.dk (Regional Director)

DRC NATIONAL OFFICE LIBERIA

Dennis Compound Sekou Toure Ave. Mamba Point P.O. Box 5332, Monrovia - Liberia Phone: +231 (0) 77 30 36 09 Email: cd_liberia@drc.dk