Written by Gradiah Walker, Advocacy Officer at Save the Children in Liberia
The Race for Survival in Liberia kicked off on a rainy Wednesday morning at 9 am on 19 August. You would think that would have dampen the attendance somewhat but that was not the case. The children started to arrive in a trickle- the older ones leading their younger siblings- until the entire hall of the Don Bosco Youth Center was filled with over 500 children. They went through the usual Infection Prevention Control practices like washing hands and temperature checks at our first aid station and then sat down to wait for the indoor program to commence.
Save the Children had expected a much smaller turnout because schools are currently closed and getting children to attend programs when it is vacation time can prove to be difficult. But we had done a lot of community mobilization along with our Campaign Ambassadors in the days leading up to the Race and this proved to be effective in getting the children in the community to attend.
The event kicked off with the children singing and dancing to music as we waited for our guests to arrive. The introduction and overview of the Race was given by Save the Children Director of Program Development & Quality, Deirdre Keogh. The children were then given the opportunity to deliver their messages to the guests who included a representative from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Senior Senator of Montserrado County, Geraldine Doe-Sheriff.
Drama, music and written messages were employed by the children to demand free and equal access to healthcare; equitable distribution of health workers, particularly in rural areas that are hard to reach; improved vaccination coverage; an end to malnutrition; and inclusion of children with disabilities in the Post 2015 Agenda going forward. Access to quality education, alleviation of child poverty and equal justice for all children were also some issues raised by children at the Race.
At the end of the indoor ceremony, the Senator, Madam Doe-Sheriff committed to working to address the issues raised by the children. She vowed to “work tirelessly” along with the Office of the Vice President, who heads the Liberian Senate, to create a better future for the children of Liberia by 2030.
The representative of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection also commended Save the Children for their support to the Ministry and for the Race for Survival that allowed the children of Liberia to voice their hopes and dreams for their future. She said that the Ministry will strive to better the lives of the children of Liberia.
The Speaker of the Children’s Forum of Liberia also called on the Government, donors and international community to support children’s organizations and address the issues of the Liberian children as they the children represent the future of Liberia.
After the indoor program and refreshments, the event concluded with races and soccer matches for both the boys and girls.
Check out the photos on Flickr.
See the coverage in the national newspaper.
