Ebola survivors want economic empowerment

The president for Liberia’s Ebola Survivors Network, Mr. Patrick Sayel, is appealing to the Government here to establish a microfinance loan program to empower Ebola survivors across the country.

Speaking to this paper in an exclusive interview, Mr. Sayel said though survivors are experiencing health complications, their main challenge is economic recovery. He said Ebola survivors need basic skills training and small businesses to sustain themselves and their families.

He noted that survivors need money to sell in the market or scholarships for those who have a desire to goto school, including childrenmade orphans by the virus. The Ebola Survivor’s Network head said, survivors in other countries that were affected by the virus, were given resettlement packages to restart their lives.

Mr. Sayel said since Liberia is unable to resettle her citizens who survived Ebola, he was pleading with the government to provide loan program so they can get involved in business to be able to pay back the money. in the question of clinical and health care, he said the ELWA Ebola Treatment Unit and the Redemption Hospital are helping in taking care of them because of his members are faced with series of complications since the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Diseaseor EVD.

He added that children in orphanages need education so Government should find way to help return to school. Mr. Sayel added that survivors want to work and make impact in the society too like their fellow compatriots. He said since they are not opportune to work in offices due to stigmatization, they want to sell in order to sustain their families, lamenting that that once a person is identified as asurvivor, in hospital or wherever he or she is denied access.

By Ethel A. Tweh-Editing by Jonathan Browne