Liberia has a hot equatorial climate with most rainfall arriving in the rainy season and harmattan winds in the dry season. The country’s landscape is composed of mostly mangrove forests and swamps while the sparsely populated inland is composed of forest that open to a plateau of drier grasslands with low mountains in the northeast.

The history of Liberia is unique among African nations because of its relationship with the United States. It is one of the two countries in sub- Saharan Africa along with Ethiopia without roots in the ‘European Scramble for Africa’. As a result of the civil war, hundreds of thousands of people were killed. The conflict also left the country in economic ruin. Unemployment and illiteracy are endemic. Today Liberia is recovering from the lingering effects of the civil war and related economic dislocation. Statistics indicates that about 85% of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day. Liberia is home to about 4.1 million people. It is estimated that as much as 85% of the population of Liberia practices Christianity, 12% practice Islam and approximately 3% practice traditional indigenous religious beliefs. Liberia is traditionally noted for its hospitality, academic institutions, cultural skills, and arts/craft works. Liberia has a long, rich history in textile arts and quilting. Many Liberians grow their own rice (the country’s staple), sugarcane and cassava. Rice is eaten much more than any other starch. Fufu, a food that originates from the Ashantis in Ghana, a doughy food is made from rice, cassava, plaintain, corn or yam. This is popularly eaten with a spicy soup and very popular across West African nations.

Liberia is one of the world’s poorest countries with a formal employment rate of only 15%, making illiteracy rate high. Liberia continues to suffer poor economic performance and devastation brought by its long war, its lack of infrastructure, and necessary human capital to help the country recover from the scourges of conflict and corruption. However, since the election of the Sirleaf government in 2005, the people have started rebuilding the country in the various sectors. Main exports include diamonds. Agricultural products include livestock and rice, the staple food.

The country can boast of the Sapo National Park, the only national park in the country which contains the second largest area of primary tropical forest in West Africa after Tai National Park in neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire. It has the highest mammal species diversity in the world. Species also include chimpanzees, elephants, African golden cat, crocodiles, leopards, several species of monkeys among others.

Confronted with many developmental problems, severe health-related issues continue to threaten the growth and sustainability of the country. There are a number of highly communicable diseases which plague Liberia, such as HIV, tuberculosis, diarrhoeal diseases and malaria. The majority of the population does not receive the standard of healthcare that most of us are used to, if they receive any at all. Hospitals are often understaffed. With limited resources available to the underpaid medical staff, there is the urgent need for more helping hands in the form of volunteering to add to the staffs’ efficiency, helping serve more people in need.

Following the restoration of peace in the country, there has been a significant increase in enrolment in schools thereby requiring more teachers, hence volunteers in the country. The long years of war in Liberia ripped several families apart resulting in nearly 5000 children living in the country’s orphanages. Thousands of children go to school in crumbling buildings or under trees. Liberia desperately needs the help of volunteers as there is the need for lot of rebuilding after the war which left several people homeless. Help is also needed in the building work in the growing education system. We have placements in several areas where we are trying to build schools, clinics and accommodation for those that really need it.