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Displaced Children
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Over 350 vulnerable and IDPs children under the age of ten were on the eve
of New Year, recipients of several T-shirts and assorted toys from a United
States-based relief and humanitarian organization, the Mano River Relief and
Development Network (MRRDN).
The well-organized distribution of toys and T-shirts which took place at two
major IDPs centers, outside Monrovia, brought smiles and joy to the camps
leadership and the parents of the beneficiaries. The distribution exercises
were held under the supervision of Mrs. Geraldine P. Kaba, Executive Director
of the MRRDN.
The MRRDN is a non-profit, non-governmental, non-political but humanitarian
and relief organization with headquarters in the United States historic city
of Boston, Massachusetts, and has a local branch office on Buchanan Street
in Central Monrovia. The organization has its representative groups throughout
the USA and affiliate groups in the Mano River Basin of West Africa with branch
headquarters in Conakry, Freetown and Monrovia.
During the distribution exercises of the T-shirts and assorted toys, the Mano
River Relief was able to cater to over 200 children at the Blamasee IDPs Center
in Brewerville and additional 160 children of the Mount Barclay IDPs Center
on the Monrovia/Kakata highway.
The child-beneficiaries of the MRRDN’s kind gesture ranged between six
months old to ten years, The parents of the children termed the gesture as
being very appropriate and timely, especially so when they had nothing to
play with during the season holidays.
Speaking at the formal commencement of the distribution exercises, MRRDN’s
boss, Mrs. Kaba told the vulnerable Liberian children that the T-shirts and
assorted toys were the organization’s way of identifying with them during
the Christmas and New Year festivities.
Madam Kaba then pledged MRRDN’s support and commitment to identify and
cater to the vulnerable population especially the needy children of Liberia.
She said the organization remains committed to its goals and objectives and
supportive of efforts and programs aimed at alleviating the pressing humanitarian
problems in Liberia.
Continuing, Madam Kaba said although Mano River Relief is undertaking several
programs in the MRU basin, it attaches great importance to the humanitarian
resource development, the ongoing disarmament program and reconstruction of
our war-torn country.
According to the MRDDN’s Executive Director, the relief items were donated
to the group by a number of US-based humanitarian organizations including
Support A Child International and people of goodwill and children of America
in response to their appeal for assistance to the children of Liberia.
Concluding, Madam Kaba noted that the distribution exercises was the manifestation
of MRDDN’s motto: Investing in people for tomorrow".
In their words of appreciation and gratitude to the Mano River Relief, the
leaders of the two IDPs centers called on the organization to always remember
the destitute population of Liberia.
They told a high-power delegation from the MRRDN-Liberia branch who accompanied
their Executive Director on the distribution exercises that beneficiaries
and their parents remain very grateful to the organization and said the items
came at the most appropriate time and afforded the IDP children the opportunity
to have some toys to play with during the New Year’s festivities.
Meanwhile, the MRRDN made a similar donation to the Antoinette Cheshire Home
on 10TH Street, Sinkor, where the Directress Mrs Louise Lavala expressed profound
thanks on behalf of the children for the gesture
