ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS Chesapeake Bay Professional Chapter

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ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERSChesapeake Bay
Professional Chapter

• Overview of Liberia Assessment Trip
• January 19 to 29, 2008

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Background on Liberia

• Located in West Africa
• Population 3½ million
• About the Size of Ohio
• Capital Monrovia (Population of 2 million)
• President Ellen Johnson Sirlief
• Primarily Mangrove Swamps, Coastal Rain Forest
  Savannah Terrain
  
• Avg Lifespan 44 years
• Official Language English

Gbarnga
Monrovia
Harper
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Purpose of Assessment Trip

• By invitation through Maryland Sister State
  Agreement
  
• Named Liberia Signatories Bong County and
  Maryland County
  
• Identify project needs of size that may be
  readily addressed by EWB - 25K to 30K
  
• Assist Sister State Agreement in consulting on
  larger project needs
  
• Assessment trip made by Mike Hanna, Mike Posko
  and John Sankey

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Liberia by Way of Monrovia
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Bong County

• 1st County for Assessment Btwn 1/21/08 to
  1/24/08
  
• 3 to 4 hours from Monrovia by car on paved road
• Superintendent Ranney Jackson - Head of County
• 12 districts 4 tribal languages
• Focus on Gbarnga city population of 300,000

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Bridge Road Priorities
Gbarnga Downtown School Access Locations
(Widening Improvements)
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Fish Pond
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Former Superintendents Residence
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Water Plant Complex
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Kpatawe Waterfalls
Hydroelectric Power Agricultural Possibilities
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Cuttington University
Possible Accommodations for EWB Interaction w
ith Students
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Phebe Hospital
Director Dr. Garfee Williams
4 Doctors on Staff Only Hospital in Bong County
Lack of Passable Roads Delay Access
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Gbarnga People Places
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Back to MonroviaMeetings with National
Authorities

• Ministry of Public Works
• National focus on Monrovia infrastructure
• De-centralization to local counties
• Each county has assigned Resident Engineer
• Can help identify sources for building materials
• Liberia Water Sewer Authority
• Wells to be source of water rather than public
  water plants
  

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Transport to Maryland County

• Flight via Spriggs UNMIL Airport in Monrovia
• Arrangements expedited by Harry Greaves, LPRC
• Possibility for future transport of EWB as long
  as UNMIL remains
  
• Alternative is 16 hour drive during dry season

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Maryland County

• 2nd County for Assessment Btwn 1/25/08 to
  1/28/08
  
• Superintendent D.I. Sie-Teba Neufville - Head
  of County
  
• 4 districts 1 tribal language
• Main City - Harper
• County-wide focus for population of 150,000

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Roads Bridges - Harper
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Roads Bridges - Barrobo
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Roads Bridges - Karluway
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Roads Bridges - Pleebo
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Technical College
Abandoned - No Active University in Maryland
County since 1990
Destroyed by War
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Proposed School Addns Clinic
Fishtown School Addition
Pleebo School Addition
Border Road Health Clinic 5 Miles from Ivory Co
ast Border Crossing
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Merlin Hospital

• Medical Coordinator Dr. Walter Ochieng
• 2 Doctors on Staff
• Only Hospital in Maryland County
• Lack of Passable Roads Delay Access
• Lacking adequate refrigeration (medicines,
  morgue, etc)
  

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Other Harper Projects
Proposed Supt. Guest House
Control General Sanitation Public Latrines?
Proposed Youth Center
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Maryland County Resources

• Local Rotary Club
• NGOs Projects coordinated thru County
• UNMIL
• Superintendent
• Sister State Committee

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Sights of Maryland County
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Bong and Maryland Counties Are Waiting with
Anticipation
Make Sure You Know the Handshake Before You Go