The Pandemic Is About to Devastate Liberia

From November 2020 Newsletter - Subscribe
​
COVID-19 cases and deaths in Liberia are relatively small. But the government shutdown outcome on the country is huge. The population living below the national poverty line is expected to increase from 55.5 percent in 2019 to 68.9 percent in 2020. This means that an additional 526,000 Liberians are at risk of falling into poverty according to the World Bank.

​The human cost of COVID-19 could be very high:

1) Unemployment: There are no government programs in Liberia to help when businesses shut down. The small amount of income you make goes to zero. Currently 85 percent of employable youths are without jobs.

2) Malnutrition: Liberia is one of the 21 countries with the highest malnourishment levels in the world. One out of three children under the age of five years old is malnourished or too short for their age because of a lack of proper nutrition.

---

​3) Education: According to UNICEF,  Liberia is behind in its education system and has one of the world’s highest rate of out-of-school children with 15-20 percent of 6-14-year old kids not in school. The lack of jobs means lack of income to pay school tuitions.

4) Healthcare: There are approximately 339 medical doctors and 6 dentists in the whole country. The state of Louisiana has a population similar to Liberia and it has 8,300 doctors by comparison. If a COVID-19 patient needs a ventilator, there are three in Liberia.

The poor are hurt the worst during a pandemic and Liberia has one of the highest poverty rates in the world. Please help us help the Liberian people and show them they are not forgotten during this pandemic. Support ELWA Academy school scholarships. Support ELWA hospitals free malnutrition program. Help us show them God's love through your prayers and financial support..