Liberia

Plenty initially provided financial support and guidance in aspects of international development, and became a friend to IHI.  From 1992 – 1996, Plenty and IHI collaborated on a soybean growth and utilization project that provided a source of high protein nutrition especially for pregnant mothers and children. This program unfortunately ended as the war escalated.

For over 33 years we have followed the efforts of Imani House in relief and recovery work through the 14 years of civil war to the present. Like Plenty, IHI uses a bottom-up approach. Ninety percent of their staff and leadership are women. They consider health and literacy as human rights and see women and mothers as the backbone of society in Liberia.  They have seen first-hand that women suffer the brunt of Liberia’s wars and catastrophes.

IHI continues to focus on women and family development through Women’s Literacy classes for informal traders and market women, and their Maternal and Childcare Clinic which opened in 1993. The IHI Clinic in Monrovia, Liberia’s capital, provides critical health services including immunization, urgent care, a well-baby program, and diagnostic lab.  As a full-service clinic it offers healthcare to over 18,000 indigent Liberians each year with almost all of those served being women and children. IHI’s adult literacy program works out of four locations accessible to women after their day’s work selling in the market.

In 2018, IHI created the Liberian Women’s Health Manual.  This comprehensive resource is now integrated into the Literacy Programs and community building efforts for IHI’s women and girls’ projects and serves as an interactive training manual that focuses on Health, Sanitation, Nutrition and Human Rights.

We have always admired the staff and leadership of Imani House International for their accomplishments, tenacity, and dedication. Despite many challenges including limited funding, war, and outbreaks of Ebola and COVID-19, their programs have never ceased operation. IHI’s efforts to improve the lives of the Liberian people are very worthy of support.

Plenty has provided financial support in various years towards clinic expenses, and costs of additional staff training in the use of teaching and public health materials.