Red Cross helps 200 victims

The Liberian National Red Cross Society has given several relief items to over 200 fire victims, representing 83 family heads to enable them restart their lives after fire ruined their belongings in late January.

The LNRCS, as a foremost humanitarian responder, is helping victims of disasters to put away their pains by providing relief and recovery materials and psychosocial support to rebuild their lives and enable them gain hope.

The donation is part of the Red Cross’ help to vulnerable people such as those affected by fire disaster in Taylalor town, Tewor District, Grand Cape County. According to a release, the Liberian Red Cross with support from the International Committee of the Red Cross provided mats, bedspreads, and tarpaulins, cooking utensils, cloths and soap, among others to the fire victims.

Some of the beneficiaries, including MiattaFarhnbulleh, a mother of four children, and BoakaiKaiwu, an elder of Taylalor town, say life was getting extremely hard for them prior to the Red Cross’ intervention.“I am dancing because the Red Cross has done a big thing for me and my children. See my son; this lapper and blouse on me are the only clothes that I have. All my clothes left in the fire. Getting new clothes for myself and these four children, I do not know what to say to the Red Cross, but I am thankful for the help Red Cross is giving us,” MiattaFarhnbullehexpressed joyfully.

For oldmanBoakaiKaiwu, he said he will forever remember the goodness of the Liberian Red Cross. Taylalor town, built with thatches, sticks and bamboo woods, is situated alongthe sea coast and also vulnerable to sea erosion in Tewor District. Residents of the densely populated town, depend on fishing, and cassava farming for livelihood.

The source of the fire disaster causing the community members great setback is not known, but women of the town informed the Red Cross that all the men were out. They said the fire blazed rapidly due to the breeze from the sea, which burnt nearly all the buildings before it was quenched by the people themselves.

The town is not accessible by vehicle, but residents paved a car road with their hands to enable them receive Red Cross humanitarian assistance. Since the incident, the affected community dwellers have been sleeping with friends and relatives but their situation will soon change as the Red Cross has relocated the town and is to provide zinc, nails and other building materials for them to rebuild the town.

“The relocation of Taylalor town is part of the Liberian Red Cross’ plan in building stronger communities and reducing future disaster risk,” says Ambulia Perry, head of Disaster Management at the Liberian Red Cross.
The Red Cross since this year has provided support to over 1500-people affected by storm and fire disasters.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross has conducted assessment of 16 towns recently affected by storm disaster in Kokayah, Jorquelleh and Zota Districts, respectively in Bong County. The storm disaster led to the death of three persons, destroyed 338 houses and left homeless over 2,998 families. With help from its international partner, the ICRC, the Red Cross will respond to the needs of the people in Bong County as well.

-Press release