ARC Ships Humanitarian Supplies to Liberia

American Refugee Committee
Friday, 15 August 2003

Today the American Refugee Committee completed its first shipment of humanitarian supplies into Monrovia, Liberia's capital, where civil unrest has caused a humanitarian emergency in recent months.

The shipment includes tarps, blankets, and soap for distribution to more than 1,000 people. Due to concerns over delays in the seaport, ARC chose to charter an aircraft to ship the supplies into Monrovia. During the distribution of these supplies, ARC will work to determine which goods are most needed for future shipments.

"Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by the fighting. They are trying to survive without shelter or basic hygiene," described Hugh Parmer, ARC's president. "We believe these supplies will make a critical difference, especially now that it is the rainy season."

ARC currently has four staff members distributing relief supplies in Liberia . In addition, ARC plans to send a technical assessment team into Liberia on August 23, 2003. That team will be charged with determining which services are most urgently needed and meeting with officials of the US Government's Disaster Response Team.

"We expect to see diseases typical in post-conflict settings such as malaria and cholera, in addition to numerous injuries caused by the fighting," explains Connie Kamara, ARC's Global Health Coordinator. "Because Liberia has lacked a decent health care system for years, the need for health services will probably be acute."

Parmer adds that all of ARC's emergency work in Liberia is being funded by private donors. "Without the help of concerned people across the country, we would be unable to do this important work."

For nearly 25 years, the American Refugee Committee has been working to ease the suffering of the victims of war around the world. The American Refugee Committee is a nonprofit humanitarian relief organization that works for the survival, health and well-being of refugees and displaced persons caught in the crossfire of civil violence, warfare, and other disasters.

For more information, or to contact American Refugee Committee, see their website at: www.archq.org