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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 2010
Commemorative 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

2. 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, with
the inspiring theme ‘Volunteering for the MDGs.’ Nothing can be more pressing in Liberia
today than achieving the Millennium Development Goals as such volunteering towards that
end is most laudable!
The Millennium Development Goals are crucial for peace and accelerated development in
Liberia. This realization has led the Government of Liberia to redouble its efforts, through the
Poverty Reduction Strategy, to address the challenges of development. Some notable
successes have been made, as evidenced by the Liberia 2010 MDG Report, the MDG3
Award and the African Gender Award for 2011. Nonetheless, much more remains to be
done to meet the goals by the 2015 target date. It is gratifying, therefore, that volunteers
are 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 Youth
Volunteer Service, sponsored and guided by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and supported
by UNDP. They have been making significant impact in several sectors, including education
and agriculture. The Volunteers for Peace Programme have made headway in several
communities in promoting peace and reconciliation, so have other organizations such as
the United Youth Movement against Violence, Liberia National Youth Congress, Messengers
of Peace, Calvary Empowerment Team and others, I am hopeful that the UNV will capitalize
on the prevailing abundance of goodwill on the part of the youth to deepen the volunteer
spirit.
As UNMIL and the Government of Liberia work toward transition planning for the
peacekeeping mission, it becomes more imperative for Liberians, the young people in
particular, to assume full ownership of the development process. This is where UNV would be
most helpful. Volunteers should enhance the building of capacity for their local
counterparts, who should also be imbued with the spirit of voluntarism. Collaboration with
Development 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 their
minds and energies towards achieving the MDGs and that UNV will intensify the efforts to
build local capacities. The future lies in the hands of these young people and they should
be given every encouragement and opportunity to shape it.
Moustapha Soumaré
Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General
Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator
UNDP Resident Representative

3. 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 the
most depressed and vulnerable, Greetings.
Unlike other international UN lead initiatives, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are unique
to development in that it binds very poor countries to very rich countries. For instance, it is clearly
articulated in the MDGs document that developing countries should “adopt development strategies
bold enough to meet the Millennium Development Goals”, and wealthy countries should increase
assistance 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 first
developing an Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy (IPRS), second, by developing and implementing
the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) third, and most importantly, by the involvement of volunteer
youths 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. Three
cardinal issues have to be promptly addressed: economic reversals, extremely weak institutional
policies and capacities, and financial insecurity in every sector. Liberia is not an exception to these
challenges, but looking back to 2003, when our beloved country was considered a failed state, and
comparing it to today, as we are now considered among the community of nations, I can
hypothesize 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), Shirley
Ann Sullivan Educational Foundation (SASEF), Youth for Community Academic & Development
Services (YOCADS), and Calvary Empowerment Team (CET) among others. In spite of these
considerations, there are still numerous challenges ahead if we are to reduce the high level of infant
mortality, curtail the spread of HIV/AIDs, enhance basic primary education and enable the poorest
people 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 volunteers
around the world, those who are in Sudan helping to stabilize that country, those in Iraq, volunteers in
Somalia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Haiti, and here in Liberia. Individuals helping to positively change
our world by feeding the hungry, clothing the needy and finding shelter for the depressed. One step
at a time we can all achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
William Thompson, II
Executive Director
Liberia National Youth Congress (LNYC)
Monrovia, Liberia
thompsonwilliam2004@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. We
share 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 result
of 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 was
not a signatory of the MDGs. However, after the crisis in 2003, the new government led by Her
Excellency Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, endorsed the MDGs declaring that the Government will
increase 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 down
infrastructure 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 enough
to put the country on a development trajectory platform.
Due to this, the government development plans the Poverty Reduction Strategy focused on
maintaining 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 the
youth. Pillar IV; restoring infrastructure and delivering basic services is linked to Goals 2, 4, 5 and 6
on 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 the
summit there was an outcome document declaring that governments and partners will keep
the promise and accelerate effort to achieve the MDGs. The Government of Liberia and UNDP
on Friday on 19th November launched the 2010 MDGs Report along with the National and
International Human Development Reports. According to the MDGs report, the government
believes 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 the
MDGs Summit outcome document and the acceleration framework. Working in partnership with
UNDP, the Government will align policies and priorities with MDGs challenges. The Government
plans to scale up targeted interventions, based on experiential proven practices based on a
three 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 and
employment programmes and;
Scaling-up integrated local-level initiatives: Expanding local services to support MDG
achievement.
Additionally, the next national visioning plan will be MDGs based.

6. ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTY
AND 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 Nations
Millennium Development Goals.
Through the Shirley Ann Sullivan Educational Foundation’s global initiative “A Seat in the Class and a Job to
Pay 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 Nah
facilitating workshop on “how
to” create a community
service project using the
MDGS as the framework.

7. ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTY
AND HUNGER
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UNV/NYVS Volunteers in Zwedru City, led by Human Rights Officer, UNV Emmanuel Bryma
Momoh, and in consultation with the National Union of Disability (NUD)-Grand Gedeh Branch, in
an effort to participate in poverty reduction and provide livelihood opportunities for people with
physical challenges, agreed to undertake the planting of vegetable gardens. The National Union
of Disability is an open initiative by persons with physical and mobility disabilities. The
organization'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 of
gardens have sprung up around Zwedru City in Grand Gedeh County, with a number of the
communities recognizing the importance of growing their own food by voluntarily starting
vegetable 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. The
standard of living of the participants has improved now that they have some income from the
sale 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 organisation
focuses 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 CEDPAC
attaches great importance in its drive for local, national and international partnerships for
health, 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 that
provide 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 one
another, 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 the
children/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. Boley
Inter-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 Boley
Inter-estate to either Fendell or Mount Barclay for school.

11. 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.

12. REDUCE CHILD MORTALITYM
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UNV CHILDREN’S MEDICAL OUTREACH
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.

13. IMPROVE MATERNAL HEALTH
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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.

14. IMPROVE MATERNAL HEALTH
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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

15. COMBAT HIV/AIDS, MALARIA
& OTHER DISEASES, HALT &
REVERSE THE SPREAD OF HIV/AIDS
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HIV/AIDS Awareness in Rural Liberia
LIBERIA NATIONAL YOUTH CONGRESS (LNYC)
In order to contribute to Goal 6 of the MDGs, the Liberia National Youth Congress (LNYC) in
January 2009 launched an intensive HIV/AIDS awareness campaign in Salala and Totota
Towns, 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. The
workshop 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 with
several villages attached to them, selected
participants were encouraged to use Kpelle
vernacular to spread HIV/Aids messages in their
respective villages .

16. 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 its
negative 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 contribute
to the development of Liberia to buttress the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) and the
achievement 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.

18. IVD 2010 IN PICTURES

19. 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 & Graphics
MHJ Sarah
One Vision
Published by:
UNV Programme Liberia
unmilunvsupportoffice@un.org