Micro Project Support for Resettlement & Reintegration

Project Background  

On December 24, 1989, the Liberian civil war was launched in the Northern border town of Butuo, Nimba County.   Barely six months after, the war spread to Central Liberia and very quickly engulfed the entire country.  

The adverse impact of the seven years of civil war on the country was felt in two main areas:  

The Serious Humanitarian Crisis Imposed  

The crisis caused the deaths of over 200,000 civilians including women and children. In addition, over 60% of the pre-war population of 2.5 million became displaced both internally (750.000) and externally (768,000) and survived on relief.  

The Progressive Destruction of Productive Assets, Basic Social Services and Governing Institutions.  

The basic productive base of the country's economy was seriously affected through the disruption of both economic and commercial activities.  Additionally, over  90% of the pre-war social and physical infrastructure (roads and bridges, schools, clinics and hospitals, market facilities, water and sanitation facilities) were severely damaged which contributed to the worsening of the poverty situation.  

It is against this background that UNDP and the Government of Liberia, in collaboration with the Governments of the United States of America and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, launched Project LIR/96/002 - Micro Projects Support for Resettlement and Reintegration in July 1997, taking into consideration the installation of a democratically elected government.  

BASIC OBJECTIVES  

Executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and implemented through the national and international NGOs with full participation of communities, the Project's purpose is to provide resettlement and reintegration assistance at the town and village levels in rural Liberia using demand-driven community -- defined micro-project interventions.  

The immediate aims are to contribute to the revival of communities for resettlement and reintegration, through the restoration of basic social services delivery (in education, health, water and sanitation, economic infrastructure, acess) and the restart of local productive activities; and to continue logistical support for humanitarian relief for special cases.  

Summary of Acheivements / Impact of Results  

A.         Provision of Social and Physical Infrastructure  

Since July 1997 the Project has completed a grand total of 445 micro-projects against an initial of 366 reaching over 700,000 beneficiaries, and representing 58% more than the targeted number of 444,000.  

Through these completed micro-projects, the following facilities have been put into place in the following sectors:  

·                     Education  

Aproximately 83,800 Liberian youth are now back to school as a result of the rehabilitation of 145 schools and the provision of several thousand pieces of furniture.  

·                     Health  

Over 90,125 Liberians now benefit from monthly health services from the 66 clinics and 4 hospitals renovated.  

·                     Water & Sanitation  

Approximately 197,400 community residents benefit from safe drinking water and sanitation facilities with the construction of 200 water wels equipped with hand pumps and the construction of 511 VIP latrines.  

·                     Access  

An estimated 241,100 rural dwellers benefit from improved access involving the reconstruction of 193 log/culvert bridges connecting farm to market roads.  

·                     Economic Infrastructure  

About 6,300 rural women in 7 countries are now selling in the 10 renovated markets and 2 rehabilitated community women activity halls.  

·                     Agriculture  

Approximately 32,000 Liberian farmers and dependents from about 141 communities have benefitted from the provisionn of vegetable and rice seeds, farming tools, initial stocks of swine and fowl, as well as extension services and the provision of incentives.  

B.    Logistical Support for the Emergency Relief for Special Cases  

Approximately 80,000 of the estimated 125,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) scattered around the capital (Monrovia) were directly supported to resettle to the Southwest through the provision of 16,000 family kits and 252 community resettlement kits.  Another 40,000 IDPs and returnees were assisted in Bong and Lofa Counties through the distribution of 80 resettlement tool kits to 80 receiving communities.  The family kits comprised of farming tools and shelter construction materials, while the community kits were construction materials for group work for restoring public facilities.  

Also, during project implementation, adequate logistical suport i the forms of trucks and vehicles have been made available for special cases; such as the National Polio Eradication Campaign, the destruction of arms and ammuniation captured or surrendered from former warring factions in the Liberia civil conflict, etc., as requested by agencies and other functionaries of the Government of Liberia through UNDP.  

C.         Capacity Building  

At the community level, capacity has been built for 5,314 targeted community members including IDPs/returnees in basic construction and maintenance skills and community planning as well as basic agriculture methods.  

The Project, through technical training and other supports, has also developed and enhanced the capacities of several national NGOs who served as implementing partners.  About 60% of the 445 completed micro-projects were implemented by national NGOs.  The project has also built the capacities of these NGOs and community-based groups to identify community needs and to formulate micro-project proposals.  

Constraints During Project Implementation  

A.         Accessibility  

Many bridges and rural access roads were destroyed during the war from years of neglect and lack of maintenance.  The situation is worse during the rainy season when project materials cannot get to project sites on time.  This has made project implementation in some communities very difficult and to some extent impossible.  

B.         Security Concerns  

The security situation in Lofa compelled the premature closures of two of the Project's Programme Operational Centers (POC) in that country.  Several projects identified could not be implemented.  Fixed assets for the Voinjama POC and other project materials were vandalized.  

THE WAY FORWARD 

The Project has operated mainly in 8 of the then 13 counties of Liberia.  Minor interventions were made in Nimba and Maryland Counties to address critical cases.  The way forward is that the Project be replicated in Nimba and Southeastern Liberia where there is a greater need while at the same time addressing critical cases in its original geographic areas.