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Liberian Trauma Recovery and Cultural Awareness
Where: Buduburam Refugee Camp, Ghana
Local Partner: Liberian Dance Troupe (LDT) and West Africa Network for Peace building (WANEP) (www.wanep.org)
Donor: The Pindoff Project
More than 200,000 people died in Liberia’s 14-year civil war, which ended in 2003. The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that there are 42, 000 Liberians living in the Buduburam Refugee Camp in neighboring Ghana, including 18,000 children. Over 4,000 of these children have been born in the camp, and have lived their entire lives as refugees.
The Liberian Dance Troupe project is based directly in the Buduburam Refugee Camp and uses theatre and dance to maintain Liberian culture, and to teach youth within the camp about HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy and drug abuse. Adult leaders have trained over 100 children and youth in theatre, the arts, oral and written literature, dance and music. Youth who receive cultural training carry out weekly cultural training seminars in four primary schools located in the camp which have provided support to over 1000 children.
This project also enhances the literacy skills of young members of the LDT and supports their psychosocial rehabilitation. While raising awareness about important social issues, youth participating in this project build self-confidence, acquire dignity and develop renewed sense of identity.
Quick background facts:
United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) was established in September 2003 to support the implementation of the ceasefire deal and the peace process.
By mid-April 2004, just over 51 000 combatants had been disarmed by UNMIL..
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