Crusaders for Peace embarks on training

The Crusaders for Peace headed by Liberian Cultural Ambassador, Julie Endee, has embarked on a training program to sensitize the public on the rapid spread of the Ebola virus disease across Liberia.

The training, held at the crusaders for peace headquarters on Capitol Bye- pass in Monrovia, brought together trainers, monitors, mobilizers and community dwellers, highlighting them on the danger of the virus and how to use preventive measures to stay safe from the outbreak.

Speaking Thursday, 16 October at the opening of the training workshop, Ambassador Endee said, the group’s contribution is intended to buttress the Government’s effort through awareness, drama, songs, and other publicity strategies, targeting rural residents. She said the training is to educate citizens to stop stigmatizing Ebola survivors, noting that family members are in the constant habit of rejecting relatives infected by Ebola.

The Liberian Cultural Ambassador said all attention is focus on fighting the virus, but Liberians seem to be forgetting what would happen in the future, when discrimination will hit many families, adding that the crusaders for peace wants to erase stigmatization against survivors by providing necessary information, through the various vernaculars to let citizens understand that Ebola survivors are the best people to be with.

Meanwhile, the chief of party of the Carter Center in Liberia, Pewee Flomoku, said the enormity of the Ebola outbreak in Liberia, and other West African countries has made fighting the epidemic a global challenge, requiring an effective global respond. Flomoku said the current outbreak is affecting the entire region in many ways, including countries and their citizens, trade and movement.

He said the Carter Center is very concerned about the threat the Ebola outbreak has posed on the entire continent, adding that everybody is affected by this dangerous virus, and citizens need to stop the long talk and take drastic action that would help in eradicating the virus from Liberia.

He warned that any attempt to delay in fighting the virus now could cause it to reach international proportion, particularly partners currently providing support and then everybody will be responsible.