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26 May 2012
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Features

Photo: Justo Casal

New Life in Liberia

By Justo Casal
Birmingham-based student and photographer Justo Casal visited Liberia to look at the situation of refugees returning to their homeland to build a new life.

Photo: Justo Casal

Welcome to Voinjama District, Liberia. After driving for three hours in the bumpy, potholed, and muddy roads and crossing the Guinean border, the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) troops, mostly composed of Pakistanis, greeted us from the distance.

Cesar Pastor-Ortega, the Head of Sub-Office in Voinjama, explains to me that the worst-stricken county – there are 15 counties in Liberia - during the war was Lofa County and thousands of innocent civilians fled to neighbouring countries such as Guinea or Sierra Leone seeking international protection. Others became IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) within Liberia itself.

Fourteen years of war

Photo: Justo Casal

Today the reality of the war-torn West African nation is completely different. The war that lasted 14 years (1999-2003) and caused massive destructions in the country that means liberty has come to an end.

Democratic elections were held at the end of last year where Ms. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf emerged as the first elected female head of state in the history of Africa.

Returning home

With the help of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the implementing partners the repatriation scheme is taking place and refugees are returning home after being away, in some cases, for fourteen years or so.

Photo: Justo Casal

"Can you see that school and that clinic and those bridges?" Mr. Pastor asked me. And after I nodded my head he said: “We have rehabilitated them since the repatriation operation started in February 2005.”

As of now, more than 75,000 refugees have returned home and of those more than 10,000 to Voinjama District. Upon arrival at the transit centres, the returnees are given the basic needs to start a new life back home: plastic sheets, kitchen sets, blankets, mosquito nets, food and transportation to the different districts, among other things.

Medical care

Photo: Justo Casal

Visiting one of the communities within Voinjama District, Lawalazu, the field officer, Josephine Ndayizigiye, took me to a clinic recently built by the international community where the medicine and treatment are given by the International Medical Corps (IMC) for free.

Even though the conditions for improvement are enormous and the support of the international community is pretty much needed, little by little Liberia is offering to its citizens what they were denied for so long.

Education in Liberia

Photo: Justo Casal

Later on we visited a school where more than 650 students are enrolled and special programmes have been put in place such as the Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) for those children who could not have the possibility to go to school due to the war. Some of the students are in their early 20s and are starting secondary school! The effects of war in a society are immense and sometimes beyond our imagination.

In my last day of the four-day-visit to Voinjama District, we went to Badiaro border to welcome 484 refugees from Nzerekore who arrived in the UNHCR convoys as part of the repatriation operation.

Home is hope

Photo: Justo Casal

Now all these Liberian citizens after receiving the assigned returnee package at the transit centre, they will be heading to their respective homes located in one of the six districts in Lofa County to be active members in the reconstruction of the new Liberia.

As most of the refugees, including 6 unaccompanied minors, told me with a meditative but smiling face: “There is nothing like home. Home is hope!

There are still more than 150,000 refugees residing in 12 countries in West Africa and we have to make sure that the Liberian government, with the assistance of the international community, acquires the basic tools to attract every refugee back home. At the end Liberians are the ones who are in charge of their own destiny.

Tired of war

Photo: Justo Casal

For what I grasped in my short but productive visit to Voinjama is that the new administration is committed to its people and the people are tired of the word "war"; however, the lack of human resources is noticeable affecting substantially the development of the country.

Liberia needs the qualified people who left during the war to make out of this rich country a prosperous nation which before the war had around 3.5 million inhabitants.

See photographs by Justo Casal in Liberia:
New Life in Liberia gallery >

Read about Justo Casal's time in Guinea looking at the human rights situation of Liberian refugees:
Dreaming with them >

last updated: 08/08/06

Have Your Say

nina jugbeh keta
well i am happy that people are going back home. this is what wanted all along. at least when peolpe are back they can start over. it don't take one day or it won't take one day to bulid the country, so as peolpe go back, then we all can start from some where.i hope to return back too some day and also help.

Mafata Sackor
I love my counry, I am a citizen of Liberia who currently reside in New York,USA. I was so touche by your picture and stories about Liberia. It is true that the destiny of our nation lies in our hands. There is no place like home. May the almighty Allah bless liberians and the country. I am a 11th grade student and I miss my friend and families. Someday I will visit my home.

kamara sekou
may the rain of peace keep on comming in liberia,i was not only borned there but, i am belong there. it is the natural given to me by the almighty allah. by next year i will leaving washington dc for sanniquillie.

Diana johnson
we all hope to return home some day: "I can't wait" from Australia

fatima
may alimighty allah bless those who all that are facing hard time and i wish you many good wishes to come

Selo K. Musa
Thank you very much for your visit to Lofa county. I am a citizen of the county who currently reside in Maryland, USA. I was so touched by your pictures and stories about the county. It is true that the destiny of our nation lies in our hands. There is no place like home. I believe Liberians everywhere around the world shouldn't forget about contributing towards the development of our nation and helping our brothers and sisters who were not fortunate to have the opportunities we have. Make some room for Liberia in whatever you do. Know that our country desperately needs us. Liberia must rise again beyond what she used to be. And that of course is my dream. I will definitely do my share of work that needs to be done.

Thomas s Wright
I love my country Liberia and i pray that one day i will go home and live in peace and called Liberia home again

Ambrose Toffice Remi
Home sweet home! I am so excited that Liberia is back on the track to a place in Africa and the entire world. My God bless our president and everyone.Ambrose>

George W. Cooke
We are fortunate to have as President the first female. She is hardworking and focus. It is our duty and responsibility to rally around her to make Liberia what it should be. She needs our support and encouragement. Anything short of such support is not acceptable.

EMMA NUEL COLE
I PRAY THAT ALL NATION LOOK AT THIS COUNTRY,AND DO THEY BEST TO HELP IT GROW AS ORTHER COUNTRIES SURROUNDING IT.WE ASK THE WORLD TO HELD IN DURING THAT

Micheal Nelson
May the almighty God bless and keep the first lady she will need our help to build Liberia, no where like home, Home sweet Home, God Bless all our leader.

Steven Weah / New York
I'm please indeed, a woman leader,let remember that she was there as one of the decisions maker during the passed regims. our priority in liberia now is free education for all liberian up to twelve grade level. Will she push it foward?

Samon Bahtuoh
I left Liberia in the 70s and I really missed my family. If i went back home to or tomorrow will I be able to find a job and make my contribution in the rebuilding process?

William G. Jackson
Well done fellow Liberians. Our country shall regain its national and international status again under the God fearing leadership of Ellen. Keep your hope high while going back to your villages. God bless you.

Gbawou C. Kowou, IV. Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Thanks for these interesting pictures. These pictures will help many Liberians understand that the responsibility to rebuild Liberia is upon all Liberians. We must not be overly contented because progress has been made. It is time that we ask ourselves about what our individual contributions will be.

Ibrahin sawaneh
Please UNHCR Director,Tell the host countries of the west to stop maltreating some of us.I seek refuge in The Nederlandes sometimes in 2003 at first i was welcome and since i am psychologically trobled they sent me to a psychiatic home where i spent almost nine months thank God today i'm biginning to realise what is going on around me.A couple of months back yo my surprise the concerned body for the integration of foreigners in to their culture wrote me to say that they cannot give a a residential permit to stay in their country cause i am not from Liberia but Sierra leone.I was shock,cause it seems as its a kind of provocation.After all what i ahve gone through with all the physical evidence all over my body these people are telling me that i'm a lier.I'm asking the UNHCR director to please intervane in these of my problem.As its only because of the treatment i am undergoing right now and the advise of their medical doctors that is stoping them from throwing me like other asylum seekers to the street.Please advice these people to treat us like real human beings.Thank you.

Ralph T. Keller
I love my country Liberia.Everything i do,i think on Liberia.I can't wait to go home and settle down.

Quita Marian Potoway
I pray that one that my counyt can be a better place that i will be able to go to and happy about.There is no were like home, you know.

Najma
Interesting and well written article,

Garmai Korvah
i feel very good that changes are being made in liberia, and i hope every liberian child can be able to get a descent education and live peacefully as children.

Marissa Sabotta
I am so for Liberia!

Victoria Sieh
I love my country LIBERIA, it is not easy to be away from home. I'm in Atlanta Ga. Liberia will rise and shine again and we will get on the map.

Victoria Sieh
I would like to see a better Liberia.

Africanqueen
hey , i feel so bad went ,i see my people treated like slaves .But now i have joy and proud to say that Liberia is the best in West Africa,You will rise and shine Liberia.i so proud that my people are going back home. May god bless your .

kerkula Fromayan
Thanks for your visit to my beloved country Liberia and especially to my home county Lofa. Though we hear about the destruction that took place there, but seeing picture of it makes us even more determine to return and help rebuild our mother-land. keep on the good work.

Korto Johnson
I feel so good when I hear that liberians are returning back home, cause it is not easy to live it a foreign country which you don't understand the language they speak. I am a living example; I live Ivory Coast for five years. Thanks to the UN for the hard work and time they are putting into our mother land. By the grace of God Liberia will rise and shine again. I have America for ten years now and I still miss home even though I left during the war. Once again, thanks to all the donors God will bless you.

MY NAME IS VARNEY A FOFANA
LIVE IN LAS VEGAS NEVADA FROM LIBERIA. I AM PLANING TO GO BACK TO LIBERIA THIS JANUARY 2007 AFTER 15 YEARS. IT IS VERY GOOD NEWS THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE GOING BACK HOME BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING LAKE HOME. HOME SWEET HOME LIBERIA.

Emma Garby
Thanks for waking up the world and educating us all about so much we do not know about. Thanks for making a difference and taking action. Also don't ever stop taking pictures, they're magical! All the best wishes, your international friend.

martha.nagbe
I'm from ghana but I'm a liberian I came to australia in 2005 august 15 and I live in austraila for one year and one week and day . I love australia for so many reason but I love my communlity so mcuh .liberia mother land we love mother land .

Davestus James
Thanks. Your for the level of work done following the short time stay in Voinjama,Lofa County. Many of us have seen the works your hands and have relized that it was excellent as exhibited by the photo gallery. We hope to also contribut to this sit once a while. Hoping that you visit us to stay a longer time than before. Davestus James Secretary UNHCR SOV Voinjama

GERMAN GARCIA
Very interesting column and photos on Liberian life. I think articles like this will bring more donor support to that country.

Catalina Saugy
Querido Justo, Felicitaciones por la nota y las fotos en esta red de la BBC que tanto contribuye en dar a conocer el drama de Liberia! Saludos desde Buenos Aires! Catalina Saugy Instituto Nacional de Antropología (INAPL)