Liberia

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In Liberia, Handicap International provides orthopaedic services and works on the social rehabilitation of disabled people.

CONTEXT
Situated in West Africa, Liberia is Africa's oldest republic. However, in the 1990s it became better known for its long civil war and its role in the war in Sierra Leone. Fourteen years of war ended in 2003 when rebels and interim government signed peace accord. The UN is now overseeing a scheme to disarm tens of thousands of former rebels and elections are planned for 2005.

BACKGROUND
1997: exploratory mission which revealed the lack of orthopaedic facilities. The local authorities then asked Handicap International to help with the situation. A plan was put forward to develop a project centred around the JFK Hospital in Monrovia and, from there, to assist units throughout the country, to support an institution which takes care of disabled people and to assist the rehabilitation of a centre in charge of leprosy persons in the north of the country. 
2000: project for disabled persons
 
ACTIVITIES

1) Rehabilitation centre in Monrovia

• Consolidation of the staff's technical competencies focusing on physiotherapy and orthopaedics
• Training of new local orthopaedictechnicians and physiotherapists
• Production of orthopaedic devices
• Orthopaedic and physiotherapy treatment to patients

2) Leprosy rehabilitation centre in Ganta

• General support to the centre
• Income generating activities where Handicap International acts as a donor and Ganta Leprosy Centre patients are the beneficiaries. This project promotes the inclusion of the patients in the community and improves their autonomy.

3) Support to " Group of 77 ", a local disabled people's organisation

• Income generating activities based on the same principal as the ones in Ganta. This project promotes the inclusion of disabled people in training and employment in the community

BENEFICIARIES

• Monrovia Rehabilitation Centre: 2,208 patients and 25 employees, including technicians and physiotherapists on job training
• Ganta rehabilitation centre: 2,200 leprosy patients, local villagers and 34 staff including technicians and physiotherapists on job training
• Group of 77: more than 100,000 disabled people from Monrovia and the surrounding areas and 25 employees including heads of branches in various counties.

RESOURCES
Handicap International team is made up of 25 national staff, 5 international staff and 63 people working for partner institutions supported by Handicap International through an incentives policy.