Ebola final for LI

Fear, Survival, and Hope in Liberia
THE DAILY NEWS
www.dailynews.com THE EBOLA EPEDEMIC: A Closer Look - Since 2007
Joan Curran Darkortey
Co-Founder| Interim Board Chairman
Liberia Economic Development Initiative
www.ledinow.org
Reducing poverty, changing lives through
economic development and empowerment

News Headlines and Top Stories
 My Background and Liberia’s History
 Devastating Toll of Ebola in West Africa
 Fear & Stigmatization
 Liberia Economic Development
Initiative’s (LEDI) work in Liberia
 Call for Robust International Response
 Stories of Survival:
o Humanitarian Assistance
o Education
o Prevention
THE DAILY NEWS

o Education
o Prevention
THE DAILY NEWS

Liberia Economic Development Initiative
o Education
o Prevention
THE DAILY NEWS
A Cleveland-based charity fighting the Ebola outbreak and saving lives in Liberia, West Africa

o Education
o Prevention
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THE DAILY NEWS | PROFILE
Current Profile of Liberia
• Capital: Monrovia
• Population: 4.2 million (UN, 2012)
• Area: 99,067 sq km (38,250 sq
miles)
• Languages: English and 29 African
dialects
• Major religions: Christianity, Islam,
indigenous beliefs
• Life expectancy: 56 years (men), 59
years (women) (UN)
• Main exports: Diamonds, iron ore,
rubber, timber, coffee, cocoa
• GDP: 1.951 Billion (USD)
• 4th Poorest Country (GDP per
capita): 83.9% population live on
less $1.25/day, 85% unemployment
rate

THE DAILY NEWS | HISTORY
Brief History of Liberia Africa's first republic (1847) modeled after the United States and
established by the American Colonization Society (ACS) (1822).
 5% Americo-Liberians population ruled the country.
 95% Liberia's indigenous population, composed of 16 different
ethnic groups, were denied all basic rights given to Americo-
Liberians.
 In April 12, 1980, a military coup d'état led by Doe and
assassination of Pres. William Tolbert ended of 150 years of
Americo-Liberian rule.
 In 1990, Pres. Doe assassination created a power vacuum leading
to a brutal 14 year civil war, which included the rule of Pres.
Charles Taylor.
 In 2005, Pres. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa’s first female president

THE DAILY NEWS | HISTORY
The High Cost of War
14 YEARS OF CIVIL WAR:
• 250,000 killed, 350,000 refugees and 300,000 internally
displaced United Nations
• Some 15,000 child soldiers UNHCR
• GDP contracted by 60 % from 1987 – 2003 World Bank
• No electricity or pipe-born water US State Department
• 70% of schools destroyed US State Department
• 1 physician for every 70,000 Liberians US State Department

THE DAILY NEWS | PERSPECTIVE
RECONSTRUCTION NEEDS ARE GREAT!
Broken
health care
system
Over 50%
population
under age
25
Economy
Decimated
No running
electricity or
water
Overcrowded
capital city
Decomposition
of family
structure

THE DAILY NEWS | MONEY & INVESTING
LIBERIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE (LEDI)
Liberia Economic Development Initiative (LEDI) is a Cleveland, Ohio based 501
(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit with an international focus. Founded by Rufus and
Joan (Curran) Darkortey in October 2007, our mission is to reduce poverty and
increase the economic capacity of the often impoverished people of the world with
specific focus on Liberia, West Africa.
LEDI’s primary objectives are to reduce poverty, illiteracy, unemployment,
diseases, and underdevelopment in Liberia through a comprehensive approach by
providing:
1) Microfinance 2) Education 3) Healthcare
4) Infrastructure 5) Youth Development 6) Sisterly Institutions
Making a Difference

Work of LEDI
Building Partnerships

To assist poorly funded schools
Why LEDI?
To give students an education

To aid rural communities
Why LEDI?
To assist the forgotten and disabled

To give people hope
Why LEDI?

Recent LEDI Undertakings
2014 LEDI scholarsBuild modern public library Provide Ebola medical supplies

THE DAILY NEWS | CULTURE
Liberia Reconstruction 2005-2014

THE DAILY NEWS | HEALTH & SCIENCE
The Advent of Ebola in West, Africa
“The Ebola epidemic that is ravaging parts of West Africa is a
fast moving event with unprecedented dimensions. This is the
largest, most severe and most complex Ebola epidemic in the
nearly 4 decade history of the disease. It is large and tragic.”
~ World Health Organization

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Facts
The virus named after the Ebola River in the Congo was first identified in humans in 1976

THE DAILY NEWS | TRAVEL
West African
Ebola
Hot Zone

THE DAILY NEWS | EVENTS
West African Ebola Timeline: Key Events
-- MARCH 2014 --
• Guinea reports 87 suspected cases of viral hemorrhagic fever, including 61 deaths in the south of the country.
• Scientists studying samples in the Lyon, France and confirm disease is Ebola.
• Liberia confirms two cases of the virus and Sierra Leone suspects cases.
• Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) establish an isolation center in Guinea, the first ever in West Africa.
-- APRIL 2014 --
• Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) warns the epidemic's spread is “unprecedented”
• A World Health Organization (WHO) spokesman calls 221 cases and 146 deaths in Guinea “relatively small still.”
• Mob attacks healthcare workers at Ebola treatment centre in Guinea and Liberia due to fear and suspicion.
-- MAY 2014 --
• Sierra Leone confirms its first fatality a traditional healer whose death was linked to 365 cases.
-- JUNE 2014 –
• With over 779 cases and 481 deaths, WHO declares West African Ebola response “too relaxed.”
• Liberia reports Ebola in its capital, Monrovia.

THE DAILY NEWS | TABLOIDS
Ebola and the Age of Created Destabilization

THE DAILY NEWS | TABLOIDS
Ebola and the Age of Created Destabilization
Theory:
Ebola bats
traveling from
Central Africa to
West Africa
without leaving a
trace seemed
laughable
2373.4 miles

THE DAILY NEWS | LIFE
No Myth: Ebola Is Real

-- JULY 2014 --
• The virus spreads to Nigeria, as a Liberian-American Patrick Sawyer dies in quarantine in Lagos.
• The WHO says that more than 120 health workers have died of Ebola (Dr. Samuel Brisbane, Medical Chief at
John F. Kennedy Hospital in Liberia and Dr. Sheik Umar Khan, Sierra Leone's “hero” doctor dies of Ebola.)
• Liberian President cancels Independence Day celebrations and orders borders, schools, and government
building closed and quarantine the worst-affected areas.
-- AUGUST 2014 --
• National State of Emergency is declared and major exodus from Liberia begins.
• At 1,552 deaths, CDC director issues Ebola guidelines and warns epidemic is “spiraling out of control.”
• West Point, Liberia quarantine is lifted after attack on Ebola victims and riots.
• Nancy Writebol and Dr. Kent Brantley, medical missionaries receive ZMapp drug and medevac to Emory Hospital.
-- SEPTEMBER 2014 --
• Deaths passes 4,000 and MSF president warns world is losing the Ebola battle, slams “global inaction”
• Cuba and Britain to send military and humanitarian experts to Sierra Leone to set up treatment center.
• President Obama announces military and medical resources to address the epidemic in Liberia.

THE DAILY NEWS | GOVERNMENT
Liberian Government Response… Late
Rapid Deaths, Panic, & Mass Exodus Grips Monrovia
August 6, 2014 Declaration of State of Emergency is Too little, Too late

Healthcare Workers: Shortage
• Liberia 4.2m population, 51 doctors, 978 nurses & 260 pharmacists
- Liberia between 1:30 to 1:50 healthcare workers per person
- US between 5:1 and 8:1 and better medical facilities

Poverty Fuels Ebola Flame
Mismanaged Quarantines: Confused and angry impoverished people protesting
quarantine conditions and inadequate medical response in their community.

-- OCTOBER 2014 --
• Britain to send military and humanitarian experts to Sierra Leone to set up treatment center.
• Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan is diagnosed with Ebola and dies from the disease in the US.
• 2 persons infected with virus in the US, both survived. A US dog named “Bentley” is also cleared of the disease.
-- NOVEMBER 2014 --
• Number of deaths exceed 5,000
• The White House requests Ebola funding from Congress, citing National Security, not Charity.
• MSF announce “cautious optimism” with declines in new cases and Liberia ends State of Emergency.
• 59 volunteers begin human safety trials in Geneva for the Ebola vaccine.
-- DECEMBER 2014 –
• Confirmed cases top 18,000 and deaths approach 7,000.
• Ebola vaccine trial halted temporarily in Geneva.
• Liberia begins treating Ebola patients with serum therapy from recovered survivors.
• Time Magazine chooses Ebola Health Workers as 'Person of the Year‘.

THE DAILY NEWS | WORLD NEWS

THE DAILY NEWS | DEATHS
Ebola’s Devastating Toll

THE DAILY NEWS | SOCIETY
Survivors Trauma: Fear & Stigmatization

THE DAILY NEWS | THE WORLD
Calls For Robust International Response

THE DAILY NEWS | THE GOOD NEWS
Humanitarian Assistance

Education

Prevention

Survivors
Faces of Hope

THE DAILY NEWS | CLASSIFIEDS
HELP WANTED!
How To Help?
LEDI has launched a campaign to
raise funds for :
• Disinfectant
• Disposable gloves
• Food items
• Ambulances
• Thermometers
• Others PPEs
www.ledinow.org
http://www.csuohio.edu/Liberia

True Heroes: Healthcare Workers
Thank you, Thank you, Plenty!

THE DAILY NEWS
QUESTIONS?
www.ledinow.org

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