Giulia McPherson is traveling in Liberia and Ghana on a CARE Learning Tour, a comprehensive, multi-day tour for policymakers and those who can influence policy to gain firsthand knowledge of the core issues poor communities face. She is the Deputy Director for Citizen Advocacy with CARE USA’s Policy and Advocacy Unit. To learn more about the Learning Tours Program, please visit: www.care.org/learningtours.

Ghana is often characterized as an “African success story,” having achieved impressive growth and record poverty reduction over the past 20 years. Life expectancy is currently at 64 years - the highest in sub-Saharan Africa - and there has been a 20 percent drop in the child mortality rate as well as 95 percent growth in primary education enrollment. Ghana is currently on track to meet Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 1 of halving extreme poverty by 2015.

While Ghana has made tremendous strides, it still faces significant challenges in improving the lives of the 20 percent of the population that lives on $1.25 a day. The country struggles with pervasive gender inequality and a northern region that lags far behind the rest of the nation in overall development. Additionally, combating malaria is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Ghana.

Giulia McPherson is traveling in Liberia and Ghana on a CARE Learning Tour, a comprehensive, multi-day tour for policymakers and those who can influence policy to gain firsthand knowledge of the core issues poor communities face. She is the Deputy Director for Citizen Advocacy with CARE USA’s Policy and Advocacy Unit. To learn more about the Learning Tours Program, please visit: www.care.org/learningtours.

On January 16, Liberians will celebrate the inauguration of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first democratically elected female president. President Sirleaf was first inaugurated in 2005 and recently won her reelection in late 2011.

[From left to right: Rep. Bobby Rush, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Rep. Tom Marino, and Rep. Hank Johnson]

The Learning Tour delegation, including Congressmen Tom Marino (R-PA), Hank Johnson (D-GA) and Bobby Rush (D-IL), had the special honor of meeting President Sirleaf today for a private audience to discuss plans for her second term in office, as well as the challenges her administration is currently tackling and how the U.S. can continue to be engaged in efforts to bring stability and prosperity to the country.

“The United States is Liberia’s most important partner, and bilateral cooperation is strong,” said President Sirleaf. “I thank this delegation for visiting and commend CARE for restarting their critical work in Liberia.”

*Note: CARE Liberia restarted operations in September 2008 after a hiatus of almost 25 years.

On CARE’s latest Learning Tour, we’re exploring the critical 1,000 days between a woman’s pregnancy and her child’s second birthday. It is during this period that malnutrition poses the greatest threat to the long-term health of mothers and children, affecting the economic development of families, communities and entire nations. If we can address poor nutrition and its causes, including the ability of families to feed themselves a proper, balanced diet, then we can make tremendous strides in breaking the cycle of poverty.

Today, a delegation of U.S. policymakers and other leaders – including Congressmen Tom Marino (R-PA) and Bobby Rush (D-IL) – visited two CARE-supported programs that address the issues of chronic poverty and malnutrition in Liberia.

The first is the Farmer Resource Center – a coalition of centers that empower women, including war widows, and men – to grow crops that nourish their families, sustain the rainy season and generate additional income for their families. The program includes training on entrepreneurship, marketing and book-keeping skills.

[photo of women in the fields; Rep. Marino with program participants]

The second is a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), which CARE coordinates on the outskirts of Monrovia in an area called “Peace Island.” The inhabitants of this community are primarily individuals displaced by the war, including former combatants. Since CARE first introduced VSLA’s to this community in 2010, over 72 groups have been formed, comprised of 1,700 participants. Over 80 percent of the participants are women and the groups have generated $60,000 USD in loans.

One woman, Jimama Gbarnja, joined the VSLA in 2010 and has taken out three loans. The first one was to pay for her children’s school fees; the second was to construct her home, and the third was to start a business selling coal, which is used for fuel. During the visit, Jimama spoke to the delegation after one of her VSLA meetings: “The savings group allowed me to put my children in school and taught me how to save my own money, accept a loan and then pay it back.”

[photo of Jimama speaking during VSLA meeting]

[photo of Sata Benjamin, VSLA Chairwoman, in front of her store]

The delegation concluded its first day by taking part in a special meeting with 2011 Nobel Laureate, Leymah Gbowee. Ms. Gbowee was awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, alongside Liberia’s President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Tawakkol Karman of Yemen. She launched a peace movement led by women, which helped end Liberia’s civil war. She continues to work on behalf of human rights in her country as coordinator of Liberia’s National Reconciliation Initiative. She noted during her remarks that, “as leaders, we must reignite the culture of hope to address the challenges that still face our country and its people.”

[photo of Leymah Gbowee with Rep. Bobby Rush]