The Child Advocacy and Rehabilitation Program

Liberia at Need

20 years at civil war and in civil instability has ravaged Liberia, severely affecting communities, family ties, health and education institutions, as well the mental and physical well being of the population as a whole. Unfortunately, the population that is impacted first when a conflict occurs are children and youth. Severely affecting children and youth, many thousands are forced into serving as soldiers, labourer or sex slaves.

For many of these children and youths, formal education was interrupted or had never begun, because of the vicious cycle of violence and conflict they experienced, and had prevented many of them from reintegrating with their communities.

What the Red Cross is Doing in Liberia- Child Advoacy and Rehabiliation Centres

The Child  Advocacy and Rehabilitation Program (CAR) has been making an incredible difference in the lives of child soldiers and children affected by war. Effective rehabilitation involves the essential provisions of basic education, counselling, and skills training for former child soldiers, as this ensures effective reintegration in their communities. The CAR program is carried out by the Liberian National Red Cross in two CAR centres in Liberia with the ability to educate, train and counsel 300 child soldiers each year.   

Children Learn Masonry at a CAR Centre

The CAR Program Offers

For children aged 10 to 13, basic literacy and math skills are provided, as well as advanced reading and math classes for youth aged 10 to 18 years of age. The CAR Program also provides vocational skills training in the trades, such as carpentry, welding, masonry and tailoring, to further a student’s education with practical and locally beneficial skills. These students are offered start-up kits to those that successfully complete their education and training, provided with the tools necessary to apply their new skills to rebuilding their communities and maintaining their families. Positive integration in their communities is ensured by providing counselling in families and for children- individually or in groups- to assist children and youth affected by war to manage with their trauma.

Baking at the CAR Centre

Along with progressive communication with their families and communities, after ten months of supported training and learning at the CAR centre are reintegrated into either a public school system or encouraged to apply their efforts to begin work in a selected trade. Within completion of the program and reintegration, students are provided with one year of follow-up support and counselling to smoothly ensure the positive transition in their communities.