Liberian Journalists Commend OSIWA For US$54,000 Assistance


The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

February 5, 2004

Liberian Journalists victimized by the armed violent conflict in Liberia are grateful to the Open Society Initiative for West Africa(OSIWA) for a grant in the amount of US$54,000 to assist some 131 war-affected Liberian journalists.

In a letter addressed to Mrs. Kakuna Kerina, Executive Director of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, journalist J. Moses Gray of the independent Inquirer newspaper who initiated the project, lauded OSIWA for its magnanimous gesture and said the grant has brought comfort to the beneficiaries, and came at a time when they needed it so desperately.

Journalist Gray sadded that the grant manifests OSIWA’s love for mankind and its desire to seek the wellbeing of African journalists in time of difficulty.

He described the Open Society Initiative for West Africa as a true friend of the Liberian media. He said the grant is first of its kind in the history of the Liberian media and will go a long way in helping to bring relief to media practitioners and their family members.

Journalist Gray also commended the Unity Party Presidential hopeful Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for the outstanding role she played in the process of seeking the grant for the beneficiaries.

He also praised the Chairman and members of the Board of Directors of OSIWA for extending a helping hand to Liberian media practitioners.

Mr. Gray also extended thanks and appreciation to the leadership of the Press Union of Liberia for the ably manner in which the grant was administered.

This project was initiated by Journalist Gray in June, 2003, to help his professional colleagues affected by the war when Monrovia took a nose-dive into chaos. The project was submitted to several institutions outside the country but only OSIWA and Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf have so far responded to the plights of the affected journalists.