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Building self-reliance and feeding the hungry in Liberia

Church leaders spend a week in Liberia with World Food Program USA to see how funding is increasing self-reliance and reducing food insecurity

Since last year, students in Careysburg, Liberia, have been receiving hot meals each day. Produce from the new school garden supplements the meals and helps children learn gardening skills.

The food and garden — and a fuel-efficient stove given to Careysburg Elementary School — are part of a joint initiative between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the World Food Programme in the West African nation.

School enrollment has doubled since the initiative launched, said World Food Program USA President and CEO Barron Segar.

“The kids are healthy, they’re fortified, they’re learning,” Segar said. “Without food, these kids don’t come to school, they’re hungry, and they can’t learn.”

A young school girl holds her bowl of food during lunchtime at Caresyburg Elementary School in Liberia.
A young school girl at Careysburg Elementary School in Careysburg, Liberia, holds her bowl of food during lunchtime on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. | Cody Bell, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Segar spent a week in Liberia with Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s Africa West Area, and Elder Alfred Kyungu, General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the area presidency.

They observed the fruits of the work that World Food Programme is doing in the country with funding and support from the Church, explained the Church’s Africa Newsroom.

Elder Nielsen said as he witnessed the efforts at the school in Careysburg on Wednesday, Jan. 17, he was a changed individual.

“[Jesus Christ] said, ‘Suffer the little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of God,’” Elder Nielsen said. “And that’s what we should do. And that’s what we are doing here in Liberia.”

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization. World Food Program USA supports the mission of World Food Programme. The Church and World Food Programme have collaborated since 2014 around the world as millions of people face acute food insecurity. A donation of $32 million in 2022 was the Church’s largest one-time donation to date.

Elder S. Gifford Nielsen bends to greet young students in Careysburg, Liberia.
Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, General Authority Seventy and president of the Africa West Area, greets a young girl at the Careysburg Elementary School in Careysburg, Liberia, on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. | Cody Bell, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Self-sufficiency in Liberia through farmers’ cooperatives

With Church funding, World Food Programme collaborates with Liberia’s Ministry of Agriculture to support several smallholder farmers cooperatives, including the Margbeh Farmers’ Cooperative in Bongo County — which includes around 750 farmers and their families.

In the past year, the farmers have been developing the land, growing more food and working as a group to generate more income.

One of those farmers is Martin George.

“There is no more hunger in my house because the community, everybody, works together,” George said. “And at the end of the day, we go to the retailer’s shop, and we get the food. I’m so happy because I have food in my house. When you have food, you are a happy man.”

The goal is to create a foundation of self-reliance for the farmers so they won’t need the funding from the Church or World Food Programme any more.

Farmers pause after harvesting rice in their fields in Gbarnga, Liberia.
Farmers pause after harvesting rice in their fields in Gbarnga, Liberia, on Friday, January 20, 2024. Martin George, front center, is farmer lead of the Margbeh Farmer Group. | Cody Bell, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Meeting with Liberian government leaders

On Jan. 15, World Food Programme, World Food Program USA and Church leaders met with Liberian government officials in Monrovia. The leaders discussed joint efforts to help Liberians with food insecurity, explained a news release from ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

The news release said Liberia is still suffering the effects of a 14-year civil war from 1989–2003 that decimated national infrastructure and basic social services. In a country with 5.5 million people, nearly 84% of families live on less than $1.25 a day, and 47% of households are food insecure.

Liberia Minister of Agriculture Jeanine Milly Cooper welcomed the leaders to Liberia.

“The need is great, let’s not mince words,” Cooper said. “… [Collaborations] such as what we enjoy with WFP and now with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — these are critical.”

Barron Segar with World Food Program USA drums at a celebration event for a self-reliance farmers group in Totota, Liberia.
Barron Segar, president and CEO of World Food Program USA, drums at a celebration event for a self-reliance farmers group warehouse in Totota, Liberia, on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. | Cody Bell, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Elder Nielsen said the Africa West Area seeks to help people become more self-reliant.

“We’re trying to teach educational principles. We’re helping lift people so they can help lift others,” Elder Nielsen said.

That approach aligns perfectly with what World Food Programme wants to do.

“Young people and families don’t want a handout — they want a hand up,” Segar said. “Thank you for spending your week with us to see some of the transformational work we’re doing together to lift up communities across Liberia. We couldn’t do it without your generous support.”

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