We Cannot Learn the Lessons of Ebola If We Continue to Undervalue Local Efforts

On 27 August, UNICEF conducted a Training of Trainers – or “ToT” – on Ebola outreach for over 50 adolescent girls, boys and community leaders in West Point and New Kru Town - two communities in Monsterrado County that have experienced high rates of Ebola infections. UNICEF’s primary targets during these ToTs were members of agency-supported girls clubs. Since the ToTs, a total of 300 girls have been trained and deployed by UNICEF’s implementing partners to conduct outreach in the two communities. All 300 have been equipped with flipbooks and posters to support their door-to-door efforts. UNICEF is proud of the role these young leaders are playing in the fight against Ebola! • Location: New Kru Town, Monrovia, Montserrado County, Liberia • Photo credit: © UNICEF Liberia/2014/Ascott • Photographer: Adolphus Scott • Date: 27 August 2014 On 31 March 2014, the first cases of Ebola were confirmed in Liberia and the Government declared an outbreak. The epidemic has occurred in two distinct outbreak cycles: the first began in late March and ended in April; the second began in late May and is still ongoing. Nearly six months since the start of the first Ebola outbreak, over 3,000 suspected, probable and confirmed Ebola cases have been reported in 14 of Liberia’s 15 counties, including in the capital city of Monrovia. Alarmingly, this figure reflects a 14-fold increase in cases in the last two months. Fifty-six per cent of the probable and confirmed cases have resulted in death and, as of 21 September, 180 health workers had been affected by the disease and 85 of them had died. Recognizing the threat that Ebola posed to men, women and children across Liberia, UNICEF Liberia immediately took action to stop its spread. As a member of the Government-led Ebola National Task Force, the Country Office has played a key role since the start of the epidemic in the nationwide effort to raise awareness of Ebola and how it can be prevented. From the developmen