Orphans in Liberia

Liberia

In many ways, Africa is a land of opportunity.  One reason is the continent’s youthful population.  In fact, more than 60% of Africans are under 25; more than 40% are under 15.  But while it is home to the youngest population in the world, Africa is also home to a quarter of the world’s orphans.

Want to Know More?

Check out this World Economic Forum article!

Liberia

Liberia has one of the fastest growing populations in the world.  In fact, between 1960 and 2012, the population grew an astonishing 274%.  Like so much of Africa, most of this population is young.  But did you know that Liberia alone is home to 340,000 orphans?

Want to Know More?

Check out this World Population Review interactive map!

14 years and two civil wars have claimed hundreds of thousands of Liberian lives, displaced millions, and orphaned more than 100,000 children.  Diseases such as HIV/AIDS, the Ebola outbreak of 2014, and COVID-19 in 2020 have each orphaned thousands.  These and other calamities have not only increased the number of orphans, they have also increased poverty until Liberia is one of the poorest countries in the world.  Today, nearly 60% of Liberians live in multidimensional poverty, while 30% endure extreme poverty.

The orphaned are not alone.  Children caught up in extreme poverty, living in unsanitary conditions without food or potable water, are sometimes abandoned by the families who cannot support them; sometimes they run away.

Danger on the Streets

Tragically, few of these children have anywhere to go. Orphanages in Liberia are overcrowded and under-funded.  Many children join the multitudes of homeless living on the streets, without access to education or healthcare, food or shelter, where they are vulnerable to the elements, disease, abuse, and exploitation.

Both drug abuse and human trafficking are on the rise in Liberia; both are major threats to vulnerable children.  Widespread poverty and unemployment, largely due to lack of education or skill, have pushed many towards drug use and criminal activities. In Monrovia alone there are more than 866 drug ghettos, and it is estimated that some 20% of young Liberians are using substances.  Children, especially those without a parent or guardian, are abducted for labor or sexual exploitation, while numerous destitute youths fall into crime or prostitution in order to survive.  For many, it is a cycle they can never break.

Want to Know More?

Read this Front Page Africa article!

Searching for Hope

Like so much of Africa, Liberia has potential – and that includes hundreds of thousands of orphans.  In fact, according to the World Bank, investment in human capital is crucial to decrease poverty in Liberia, especially investments in healthcare and education.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2024/03/26/afw-new-report-to-address-poverty-in-liberia-launched

Blackbird Global Foundation has a plan to build orphanages in Liberia.  Built on a village model, this revolutionary estate will provide 1,000 homeless, vulnerable children with a family home, including other children – ten per household – and two parental figures, communities, and facilities such as a medical clinic, school, and recreational areas.  In a country where few children enroll in school, and fewer complete primary, much less secondary school, an education that provides literacy as well as vocational training can be the first of many steps along a road that realizes the amazing potential in Africa’s youthful populace.

You can Help!  We are just getting started on this transformative project, and every dollar makes a difference – Donate Today!