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Liberia Needs Our Help Now More
Than Ever
by Tarma Johnson
Issue 2 April 2009
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In this second edition of our newsletter, the Rural Liberian
Healthcare and Development Initiative (RLHDI) would like to
share with you some historical highlights of Liberia, our
vision for the children of Liberia, and the efforts being
pursued by our organization to help make their lives better.
We have previously spoken about the 14-year civil war that
has set Liberia back for many years, when comparing it to
other countries. You may be thinking of the many countries
on the continent of Africa that need help so “Why Liberia”?
Yes, there are many African countries that need help, and
there are many people who are working so diligently to make
a difference in many other countries, but we Americans,
especially African Americans, have an indisputable
historical connection with this small country of 3.5 million
people.
 Liberia
is the only African country that was not colonized. Liberia
was recognized as a republic in 1822. History tells us that
many slaves that left the United States after receiving
their freedom went to Liberia. Over 20 Presidents of Liberia
were Americans. This clash of indigenous and resettled
Liberians was good and bad for the country. For many years,
the people struggled to live together despite their cultural
differences. These differences continued throughout
Liberia’s history and contributed to the civil unrest that
became a devastating 14-year war that left over 250,000
people dead and the country’s economy ravaged.
During World War II, Liberia was an ally of the United
States in its war with Germany. According to an article from
africawithin.com, Liberia played a crucial role in the war
effort. Liberian territory was used by United States and
British military forces to ferry American soldiers. Liberia
was the only source of natural rubber for the Allies. Japan
occupied the rubber producing areas in the Far East.
In January 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited
Liberia and had some key issues to discuss with the Liberian
leaders. One issue was to reaffirm Liberia’s commitment to
continue supplying the United States with natural rubber and
another was to expel all German citizens from Liberia,
despite the fact that German merchants ran the Liberian
economy. Germany was Liberia’s major trading partner and
most doctors in Liberia were Germans. Liberia was in a
difficult position, but willingly agreed to expel the German
residents and declare the full might of the Liberian economy
against Nazi Germany and the Axis.
Liberia’s strategic position was very beneficial to the US.
A New York Times article in 1994 showed how the US military
moved thousands of soldiers and war supplies from the United
States to Liberia. The men and supplies were taken to North
Africa by way of Miami, through Central America to Brazil,
then to Liberia. This influence on the Liberian economy had
a positive effect on the Liberian state and the indigenous
class of Liberians who lived in the provinces. Liberia
eventually converted its money from the British pound
sterling to the US dollar.
 The
booming economy started a massive migration of the
indigenous Liberian people from the interior to the coastal
region in search of work. The indigenous people and their
families received social and economic benefit by way of
health care and public school education for the children.
They did have to pay a “hut tax” to receive these benefits.
The hut tax was a type of taxation introduced by British
colonialists in Africa on per hut or household basis. It was
variously payable in money, labor, and grain or stock and
benefited the colonial authorities in two ways: it raised
money; and it forced Africans to labor in the colonial
economy.
Again, you may ask, “Why Liberia”? The Rural Liberian
Healthcare and Development Initiative (RLHDI) has chosen
Liberia for several reasons: (1) the organization’s founder
and other Liberians in RLHDI have experienced the civil war
first hand and have family members who died during the war.
(2) as a people, we cannot solve everyone’s problems, but if
some who have a little would help those who have nothing,
what a wonderful, peaceful world this would be!, (3) the
children of Liberia are suffering - 250,000 children in a
country of 3.5 million people are orphans and over 500,000
do not attend school. We believe that if we undertake a
project that would help alleviate some of the difficulties
Liberians are going through, we would have made a footprint
for others to follow not only to help Liberia, but also
other countries that genuinely needed assistance.
One of our main objectives is to work with the nation’s
educational system, the Ministry of Education, to raise the
literacy level of the children by providing books and
building resource rooms in the already established schools.
This will allow the teachers to have multiple copies of
books for children to read together. The rooms will be
available for children who have an innate interest in
reading and do not need to be encouraged to pick up a book.
Now I hope you are asking yourself, “How can I help?” You
can help us by providing a financial contribution of any
kind. Today, we are in an economic struggle in this country,
but many of us are still able to donate $1, $5 or $10 and
even more without breaking our budgets. We are also asking
for those who can to donate slightly used books, recent text
books (published 2000 or later), reading books, fiction and
non-fiction, Bibles or medical journals.
EDUCATION CAN REBUILD A NATION!
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