Assistance to Refugees & Host Communities

The wars that have plagued the West Africa region have triggered influxes of tens of thousands of refugees into the Forest Region of Guinea. These refugees have not only lost their homes and their livelihood, but also often loved ones, their health, identity and dignity. The countless accounts of human rights abuses range through the entire spectrum of horrors that have sadly characterised the conflicts of the sub region.

The Forest Region of Guinea continues to host refugees from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast. The camps of the N’Zerekore area (Kola, Kouankan, Laine, Nonah) in Guinea are sheltering approximately 56,915 individuals at present. There are about 53,010 Liberian and 180 Sierra Leonean refugees whilst some 3,725 Ivorian refugees are in the Nonah transit centre. While the overall situation in Liberia is gradually improving since the installation of the new interim government and some cautious hope for the future might be nurtured, the political conditions in the Ivory Coast remain volatile and unpredictable.

ACT member, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has been the main partner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) in providing services to the refugees in these camps. LWF in co-ordination with UNCHR is proposing to assist 56,915 refugees living in these camps and 10,000 Guineans living in the refugee impacted area, through: agricultural activities, mental health and psychosocial recovery, adult literacy, income generating projects and HIV/AIDS prevention.

Project Completion Date: 31 December 2005

Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance Requested (US$)

Total Appeal Target(s): 511,189

Less: Pledges/Contr. Recd.: 0

Balance Requested from ACT Alliance: 511,189 

Jenny Borden
Interim Director, ACT Co-ordinating Office