Background on the Ebola Crisis
With the constant news about the Ebola virus, it’s hard to believe that the first reported case in this epidemic was just over six months ago in rural Guinea, a country in west Africa.
From Guinea, the virus crossed borders and began its rampage in the adjoining countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone. Steadily, Ebola migrated to the overcrowded cities of Monrovia, Liberia and Freetown, Sierra Leone and has even made its way to the United
States. And, while we focus on preventing any threat of ebola on our soil, there has been an explosion in the number of confirmed cases and deaths in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
By the end of September, more than 6,500 cases of the disease and over 3,000 deaths were documented. Liberia has the highest number of infections and deaths, with three times the number of Sierra Leone or Guinea.
With no medical cure or vaccine for Ebola in sight, and with a death rate staggering over 50%, fear, mistrust, and superstition continue to impede containment efforts.
Side Effects of Ebola – Impending Collapse of Communities
The countries effected by ebola are among the poorest in the world. The ability of their governments to respond is limited. Their fragile health care systems have crashed under the weight of this disease. Many hospitals and health centers have closed their
doors due to medical workers dying and others refusing to work and be exposed to the virus. Due to this, people are dying in large numbers from normally treatable medical conditions. The lack of pre and postnatal care is causing a spike in deaths of pregnant
women and newborns. Schools have closed as the governments banned gatherings by people in an attempt to slow the spread of the disease.
Likewise the impact on the macro and micro economy is devastating. Production and trade in all sectors of the economy have drastically declined. On the macro level, the World Bank estimates that economic growth in Liberia in 2014 will be reduced by 50%.
At the same time, government revenues are down 20%, further limiting its ability to respond.
The situation is similar in the Sierra Leone. At the micro level the severe impacts on people are especially visible and troubling. With markets closed farmers cannot get their produce to the market and micro-credit activities have ground to a halt. This
means that many rural families have no source of income. At the same time the prices of food, medicine and other goods have skyrocketed. All this in countries where 70% of the population lives in poverty.
The West Africa Initiative (WAI) Framework
Since 2008,
AMI has been working with local partners in Liberia and Sierra Leone to implement
WAI – a rural development program that has been supported by:
*** Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
*** Presbyterian Hunger Program
*** Presbyterian Self-Development of People
*** Week of Compassion of the Disciples of Christ
*** The United Methodist Committee on Relief
*** Wider Church Ministries of the United Church of Christ
WAI supports the building of independent local organizations in rural communities. Through WAI, these communities noted improved food security and the incomes of families increased food through production and marketing and micro credit programs. Currently
there are 22 active groups in Sierra Leone and 10 in Liberia, over a thousand families.
During the current crisis, the WAI groups and facilitators have provided local communities with education about Ebola prevention measures and distribution of related supplies. In addition they have helped to make food available to community residents and
provided mechanisms for mutual support in this time of crisis.
WAI’s Community Partners Have Identified 3 Priorities:
1. Basic sanitation supplies which have been recommended by the Ministries of Health for Ebola prevention. These include soap, chlorine bleach and buckets, disposable gloves, etc. These items are not available in the rural areas and villages.
2. Seeds and other inputs for the dry season farming. Family funds are in short supply due to closure of markets. Maintaining food production at the community level is essential to ensuring food availability. Also, the ability produce food locally is critical
in addressing the food shortage that is predicted to get worse in the months ahead.
3. School supplies for children when schools reopen-projected for January 2015.
The WAI program has the on the ground presence, credibility, and organizational structure to reach rural communities with the message and material assistance, but lack the needed supplies and funds for transportation.
While there are travel restrictions in some areas, WAI facilitators have been able to get permission, where necessary, to travel the villages in which the groups are located.
For more information, please visit:
Agricultural Missions, Inc. website: http://agriculturalmissions.org/
And "Like" us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agriculturalmissions
Our StartSomeGood venture page: http://startsomegood.com/Venture/agricultural_missions_inc_west_africa_initiative
