By Alfred Kollie, alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
The Liberian Nation Red Cross Society (LNRCS) has donated assorted food and nonfood items to the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection for onward distribution to three safe homes in Montserrado County.
The three safe homes include Women Aid Incorporated or OSIWA Village Safe home located on the Robert Field Highway, Her Voice Liberia located in Brewerville City and Touching Humanity In Need of Kindness, or THINK located in Paynesville City, respectively.
The Liberian Red Cross is the single largest National humanitarian organization in Liberia that deliver humanitarian services to the most vulnerable in an emergency including disasters, conflict, civil strife, and ill health among others.
The donation includes six cartoons of sanitary pads, twenty-four bottles of clorax six dozen washing soaps, nine dozens of bath soaps, three cartoons of hand sanitizers, seven and a half dozen toothpaste, six dozen underclothes, three plastic large-size towels, six bags of 25kg rice, six middle side tins of agro oil, three cartoons of vita, nine pieces of mattresses, assorted used clothes for children and three plastic of assorted used bed sheets.
Speaking at the presentation in Monrovia on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, the Secretary General of the LNRCS, Gregory T. Blamoh said it is the institution’s way of identifying with victims as they go through of tough times in their life.
“As part of the Taskforce, we had this report of some of our homes needing assistance and so we thought and say all of us need help, but others need it a little bit more than you, especially those who are hurt and they went somewhere to seek,’’ Mr. Blamoh explained.
The Secretary General of the LNRCS however, stressed the need for more support to survivors of sexual gender-based violence particularly children in safe homes across Liberia.
According to him, it is true that everyone needs help but victims or children and women who have suffered or survived SGBV need it most in every aspect of their life.
He noted that supporting safe homes and children in these communities who are victimized will help speed up their recovery process but urged everyone to get involved to stop violence against women and girls in Liberia.
In remarks, Deputy Gender Minister at the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection Madam Alice Johnson Howard thanked the Liberian Red Cross for the donation and promise that the items will be used for the intended purpose. We want to say a big thank you to the Red Cross for giving these support items to our survival,” she said.
According to her, they have a few Safe homes that they usually deal with which are not owned and operated by the government but partners with them in providing support and working together.
For her part, one of the beneficiaries of the donation Madam Musu Y. Tiawon head of the Touching Humanity In Need of Kindness or THINK currently hosting about twenty survivors expressed joy and commended the Red Cross for the gesture.
“I am currently hosting and catering to twenty survivors who need items like food, mattresses, education, and health care services. This is the fight that violence should stop in Liberia therefore we need support in every aspect,” she narrated.
Also speaking, the Director of Women Aid Incorporated or OSIWA Village Safe home located on the Robert Field Highway appreciated Liberia Red Cross.
The OSIWA Village Safe home is currently hosting twenty-two kids appreciated by the Red Cross.