Rural communities in River Cess County, Liberia, are facing a dangerous convergence of climate change and unregulated gold mining that is threatening their livelihoods. Once-reliable rivers and creeks have become polluted and muddy, forcing residents to walk long distances or pay for treated water, while local clinics report rising cases of waterborne diseases. Experts warn…
As Latest Hunger Index Shows Liberia Remains One of the Countries Most at Risk for Hunger; A New Push to Grow More Rice Could Change That
The latest Global Hunger Index ranks Liberia in the “serious” category, showing stalled progress despite decades of interventions. Experts point to the country’s heavy reliance on imported rice, low yields, and climate challenges as key drivers of food insecurity. In response, the government and partners are launching initiatives to boost local rice farming, drawing lessons…
Liberians who fled civil war and built lives in America now face removal to a country many barely remember — as the Trump administration eyes Liberia for deportees with no connection to it
The story follows Eriah Nahnie, a Liberian refugee detained in Massachusetts after arriving in America as a child. Despite raising a family and believing his asylum status protected him, he now faces removal to Liberia—a nation he has no ties to and barely recalls. His case highlights a broader pattern of Liberians being targeted under…
Women Across Party Lines Join Forces to Push Greater Representation in Government
At a meeting in Monrovia, women from major political parties acknowledged that despite their central role as voters, mobilizers, and organizers, they remain marginalized in leadership, holding just 10.7% of seats in the Legislature. The coalition, supported by UN Women and civil society groups, unveiled a revised constitution and strategic plan to strengthen advocacy, county…
As Latest Hunger Index Shows Liberia Remains One of the Countries Most at Risk for Hunger; A New Push to Grow More Rice Could Change That
By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, climate correspondent with New Narratives Summary Across rural communities in Liberia, rice paddies have fed families for generations and that have also, for generations, never quite been enough. Fields that yield barely a ton per hectare. Families that import nearly every grain they eat. A country, for more than two decades, has…
In Rural Liberia, Climate Change and Gold Mining Are Converging to Threaten Livelihoods
In rural areas across Liberia, residents say getting clean drinking water is becoming more difficult as gold mining and climate change pollute rivers and creeks.In this collaboration with OKFM and radio partners, Eric Opa Doue reports from ITI Town in River Cess County, where getting clean water is taking longer — and waterborne illnesses are…
With Nowhere to House Juveniles an 8-Year-Old Rape Victim Must Live in Same Community as Her Alleged Attacker
In Liberia, an 8-year-old rape survivor is forced to live near her alleged attacker because the country has no juvenile rehabilitation centers. Judges are left with no choice but to release minors accused of serious crimes, leaving victims exposed to trauma and communities struggling for justice. Tetee Gebro reports in this social media Video. To…
With Nowhere to House Juveniles an 8-Year-Old Rape Victim Must Live in Same Community as Her Alleged Attacker
By Tetee Gebro, gender correspondent with New Narratives Summary : • A mother says she paid to have the boy accused of raping her 8-year-old daughter jailed then found him back in the community. • Liberia has no functioning juvenile rehabilitation centers, forcing judges to release minors accused of serious crimes. • Lawyers warn the…
Women Across Party Lines Join Forces to Push Greater Representation in Government
By Joyclyn Wea, gender correspondent with New Narratives Summary: In a political system where women occupy less than 11 percent of seats in the country’s Legislature – one of the lowest rates in the world – women from Liberia’s major political parties gathered Tuesday in an effort to overcome differences and work together to achieve…
Liberia’s Anti-Corruption Watchdog Asked Liberians to Report Corruption By Putting Allegations in Boxes – It Didn’t Work
Liberia’s anti‑corruption watchdog has admitted its plan to fight graft by placing “whistleblower boxes” in government buildings has failed, with fewer than three reports submitted in seven months as citizens fear retaliation for being seen near the boxes. Experts say the experiment highlights a deeper crisis of trust and safety in reporting corruption, and are…
Victims and Advocates Angry As Government Stays Silent Over Bribery Allegations in Country’s Biggest Human Trafficking Case as Suspects’ Release Date Nears
Liberia’s biggest human‑trafficking case is now hanging by a thread as government officials remain silent over explosive bribery allegations, while 11 accused traffickers could walk free on bail this month due to delays in prosecution. Victims who bravely came forward say they feel abandoned as the justice system falters, raising serious concerns about corruption, accountability,…
In Rural Liberia, Climate Change and Gold Mining Are Converging to Threaten Livelihoods
By Eric Opa Doue with New Narratives ITI, River Cess County — By the time Rebecca Wilson opens her food stall each morning, she has already made one decision that shapes her entire day: how much water she can afford to buy. Wilson, the town chief here in this remote community near the border with Sinoe…
The Corruption That Allows Liberia’s Human Traffickers To Stay Free To Exploit the Poorest Citizens
More than 50 victims of human trafficking in Liberia say they were promised jobsabroad—but instead ended up trapped, abused, and extorted.Now, months after coming forward, they say justice is slipping away.Their case promised to bethe biggest win against criminals who are profiting from fraudulent promises of sending peopleoverseas for jobs, in a business known by…
Victims and Advocates Angry As Government Stays Silent Over Bribery Allegations in Country’s Biggest Human Trafficking Case as Suspects’ Release Date Nears
By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: Victims in Liberia’s largest human trafficking case said they were deeply disappointed by the government’s silence after they revealed to FrontPage Africa last week that they were repeatedly told by traffickers that they had paid bribes to Bestman Juah, a public defender, to keep the cases from free from justice….
As Bong County Slashes Crime Rates Many Credit Community Watch Teams
By Nukanah Kollie with New Narratives Summary: BARWOR QUARTER, Bong County—It’s just past midnight here in one of Gbarnga’s oldest and most crowded neighborhoods, as a small group of men move quietly through narrow alleys. Flashlights slice through the darkness. A whistle pierces the humid air. Seven years ago, residents say, few people dared walk…
Experts Say Protecting Nature Is Key to Surviving Climate Change
Liberian climate experts are sounding the alarm: with storms and floods intensifying, they say the country’s best immediate defense is protecting nature. From restoring wetlands and mangroves to planting trees as windbreaks, low‑cost, community‑driven solutions can help shield vulnerable communities while the government works to secure long‑term climate financing. The message is clear — protecting…
Experts Say Protecting Nature Is Key to Surviving Climate Change
By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, climate correspondent with New Narratives Summary A few nights before a high level climate dialogue convened in Monrovia last week, a violent windstorm tore through Gomue Village, Zota District, Bong County in, what experts said, was an ominous reminder of the stakes for Liberians across the country as climate change worsens. Roofs were shredded;…
Three Months On From Government’s World Sight Day Pledge to Screen 1,000 Students and Distribute 12,000 Glasses, Few Details Are Available
Three months after the government’s big World Sight Day promise to screen 1,000 students and distribute 12,000 reading glasses, communities are still waiting for clear answers. While the Ministry of Health says thousands of glasses came from international donors, there’s still no public breakdown showing who actually received them. With so many Liberian children struggling…
Liberians who fled civil war and built lives in America now face removal to a country many barely remember — as the Trump administration eyes Liberia for deportees with no connection to it
By Anthony Stephens and New Narratives editors It was Kayla’s birthday. She was putting her baby son into his car seat, her daughter climbing into the back, her fiancé Eriah Nahnie behind the wheel. It was just after 8 in the morning — a routine school run on a cold winter’s day in United States…
Funding Cuts, Weak Oversight, And Hidden Traps: Experts Sound the Alarm on Liberia’s New U.S. Health Deal
Liberia’s new U.S. health deal is being sold as progress, but experts warn it may leave the country more vulnerable than ever. Funding for lifesaving programs has been slashed, oversight is weaker, and critical services for women and families could disappear just when Liberians need them most. Even more alarming, the agreement gives the U.S….
The Corruption That Allows Liberia’s Human Traffickers To Stay Free To Exploit the Poorest Citizens
More than 50 Liberians escaped a trafficking compound hidden in plain sight — and now they fear the people who tortured and deceived them may walk free. These survivors, some held for nearly a year, starved, beaten, and forced to lure their own family members into the trap, bravely told prosecutors everything. Their testimony should…