Irish Minister of State, Neale Richmond welcomed to life-saving Concern programme in Liberia

Minster Richmond is visiting an Irish Aid funded Concern programme in Nordyu, a community in   District 1, Grand Bassa County, one of two districts Concern worked with in collaboration with Action Against Hunger UK, Water Aid and the Liberian government to improve water and sanitation facilities.  

Poor sanitation can lead to illnesses in children, such as diarrhoea, which is among the main drivers of malnutrition in under-fives. Both Montserrado and Grand Bassa County have had consistently high global chronic malnutrition at 33.8%

“The community we are visiting today is an inspiring example of how positive change can happen in Liberia. It is not an exaggeration to say this community had no access to safe drinking water -- the only water point was poorly functioning and dried up during the hotter season of the year,” said Ciara Begley, Liberia Country Director with Concern. 

“Malnutrition was posing a threat to the lives of infants from this town. We’ve gone from finding children on the brink of death due to malnutrition, to healthy, chubby toddlers with a better future.  Concern’s work, funded by the Irish Embassy has made a huge change, addressing the challenges they face in a very holistic way. The community are doing it for themselves and can proudly attest to their achievements directly to the Minister.” 

The programme took a community and family approach to undernutrition; through improving the overall situation of people it lowers the factors linked to malnutrition such as low access to food and drinkable water, and poor sanitation facilities and practices.

This was achieved through a number of activities: rehabilitating and building water points; building household toilets and handwashing stations; training community health-based workers on nutrition and how to spot fatal illnesses; social and behaviour change communications on how to create baby friendly environments to reduce the risk of picking up water borne illnesses; and health and nutrition training for adolescent peer support groups.

Village Savings and Loans groups (similar to Credit Unions) were also set up to provide financial support and training along with literacy and numeracy mentorship to community members so they could set up their own businesses. 

Guidance on how to build and maintain household gardens was also provided through these groups, with training on how to grow cassava, legumes, and other vegetables in an efficient and effective manner, along with guidance on trading and selling at market. 

This all contributes to both households and communities having access to nutritional food close by to where they live at a cost that is affordable.

The impact of these activities has made a significant difference to communities. More than 24,044 people were reached under the programme. There was an 86% increase in the incomes of target households which is crucial to addressing malnutrition in Liberia where a nutrient adequate diet is equal to 126% of income. 

At the start of the programme only 19% of women were eating a nutritionally adequate diet. After four years of the programme that number had risen to 91%. 41 new water points were built, while 49 more were rehabilitated. Access to safe drinking water for 12 full months of the year went from 0%, to every programme participant having access. 85% of people taking part in the programme also built their own toilets, a significant success in areas with previously very widespread open defecation.

Concern has been working in Liberia since 1996, in the areas of health and nutrition, livelihoods, gender equality, education and emergency response.

For further information contact Eilis Staunton, Media Relations Officer, Concern Worldwide, at eilis.staunton@concern.net or +353 85 872 0720.