Main Stories Society

Liberia, where “rice” is everything, with orphanages needing more!

James Fasuekoi

…As JNB Foundation’s Ambassadors Linda Karim-Creevey donates to orphanage home

“DO NOT WITHHOLD GOOD FROM THOSE TO WHOM IT IS DUE, WHEN IT IS IN YOUR POWER TO ACT” (Proverbs 3:27).

By James Kokulo Fasuekoi|Editor-Publisher

In our homes, normally, children don’t care where food will come, nor the struggle that parents have to go through to put food on the table. Kids as a whole just want to eat when they feel hungry and that’s exactly what makes them children.

In the Republic of Liberia, food, particularly rice (the nation’s staple food), is everything not only for kids alone but also for adults, and some who can afford will even eat rice three times a day rather than have a mixture of different food. 

Some orphans at the center wait to get instruction before moving the donated items Friday.

Rice is so important to locals here that they are most likely to remember you more for giving them rice rather than when you give cash. In fact, rice first made national history April 14, 1979, after its artificial shortage led to a serious political rioting in the capital, Monrovia, leaving scores of citizens dead.

And just as rice was highly in demand in 1979 and the years that followed after the infamous “Rice Riot” so is now, here, in Liberia. Feeling the pinch most are the local orphanages where nothing seems ever enough, leaving both caretakers and orphans to wait patiently and see who might be that benevolent individual or group that will go by and help with rice, or food. 

Orphans at the center help move donated food Friday.

Well, last Friday, Amb. Linda Karim-Creevey, a businesswoman and friend to President Joseph Boakai Sr., proved to be one such benevolent person-stepping forward and donating 10 bags of 25kg cleaned rice to the ELWA Rehab Community’s ELWUO Orphanage Daycare center. 

The donation on Feb. 7, was in fulfillment of a pledge Amb. Karim-Creevey had made to the orphanage center earlier in December when she visited there and presented kids with food and Christmas gifts. Mrs. Karim-Creevey who serves as Ambassador for the JNB Foundation had promised the center 5 bags of rice monthly, and thus gave 10 bags, covering Jan. and Feb. since she was out of the country.  

This kid at the orphanage home appeared excited after seeing food.

The food was presented on Karim-Creevey’s behalf by the charity’s deputy executive director, Mr. Henry Flanpor. Mother Eleanor Wuo, who owns and runs the orphanage center, received the donation. Mr. Flanpor was accompanied by several of his foundation’s department heads; they included education, and children/women welfare, and communications directors.  

JESUS CHRIST IS COMING SOON! ARE YOU READY?