Africa gets first female leader
Friday, 13 January 2006
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf becomes Africa's first female leader
Concern’s worldwide regional Director Anne O’Mahony joined senior figures from Africa and around the world when she attended the inauguration ceremony of Liberia's new leader, Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, in the capital, Monrovia.
Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf told supporters she wanted to restore hope after 14 years of civil war. She says law and order is the main challenge facing the nation.
Two US Navy warships are stationed off Liberia's coast, in a show of support for Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf's presidency.
The swearing-in ceremony made Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf Liberia's first elected head of state since the end of 14 years of war in 2003. The 67-year-old grandmother won 59% of the vote in November's run-off election, beating Liberian football star George Weah.
Huge challenges
Speaking on the eve of her inauguration, she vowed to restore hope to her country's people and give its children back their youth and future.
"I am excited by the potential of what I represent - the aspirations and expectations of women in Liberia, African women and women all over the world" said the Unity Party leader. "I am also humbled, humbled by the enormity of the challenge we face."
The challenges which lie ahead as she begins her six-year term are great.
After a quarter of a century of war and misrule, Liberia's road network is in ruins, there is no national telephone network, no national electricity grid and no piped water.
Concern's work continues in Liberia and Concern has made good progress in its programmes to improve life in Liberia.
Food Security (Grand Bassa)
Concern continues to Work with partners for the development of programme plans for 2006. In addition to this, the construction of two bridges which will greatly improve access from farms to markets is nearing completion.
At the Farmers resource centre, Concern delivered the training of 42 (15 women and 27 men) farmers in ‘Best Agricultural Practices’. Also, Concern has made significant progress with its fishery and livestock sustainability projects in conjunction with two local NGO’s.
Environmental Health – (Monrovia, Bong, Grand Bassa and Lofa Counties)
Concern has agreed and signed contracts for 40 community wells and these will be implemented in the three districts in Bong County.
Futher to this, all 66 selected communities for intervention in Bong County have been visited and reviewed by the water and sanitation team and Project Officer.
Emergency Response
Emergency work in the internally displaced people camps has scaled down significantly. People in camps in Monrovia are currently receiving their re-settlement packages which include, food, Nonm Food Items and cash for transport.
Concern is currently maintaining facilities that are in use by remaining internally displaced people, and is also decommissioning facilities in camps when internally displaced people have returned to their areas of origin.
The construction of 7 wells, 59 washing slabs and 2 ten stance latrines in Lofa has been completed. A no-cost extension to the current programme in Lofa County until April 2006 has been approved.
HIV/AIDS
Concern staff in conjunction with the Light Association (self advocacy group) participated in a very successful ‘World AIDS Day’ on 1 December in Buchanan.
