Dear friends,

First off all I like to thank all of you for your continual supports

I am happy to inform you that we have ended our first week here in Liberia with success.

In order to get a clearer picture of the security and humanitarian situation in Liberia as well as to
retrieve the multi purpose youth center constructed by PCO through the financial support of UNMIL Quick
IMPACT PROJECT, we met several government officials, NGO heads, the Township commissioner of Caldwell and
officials, a news journalist, and had a telephone conversation with a staff of Quick IMPACT PROJECT.

All of our meetings and discussions were very successful.

Below is the account of our activities from Wednesday.


Wednesday- 12/5/07-Monrovia, Liberia.

1. Presented documents as evidence to Caldwel Township
12:00pm- PCO met initially in the morning with the secretary of Caldwell township to give them the
required legal documents for the upcoming hearing on Friday the 12/7/07/.

2. Appointment with Ministry of Gender
We arranged an appointment with the head of the women’s and children division at the Ministry of Gender for 12/6/07.

3. Meeting with UNICEF
We also met with the special representative for UNICEF regarding affiliation and registering with them; it seemed promising though we need to fill out the required paperwork and it can only be processed after January ’08.

4. Meeting with West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP)
We met with WANEP and they told us about the chances to have an affiliation and the options they offer for
training PCO field staffs. The meeting gave us hope since their organization was started in Ghana; before expanding to Sierra Leone and Liberia.

5. Meeting with Alphonso Zeon,(a journalist)
Finally we met with Alphonso Zeon, a renowned news journalist who works with radio Veritas and The
Talking Drum Studio. Mr. Zeon is presently on contract (with the BBC) to cover the trial of Mr. Charles Taylor in The Hague. After we introduced and explained PCO programs to to Mr. Zeon, he promised to link us with the American ambassador grant committee and the UNHCR.


Thursday- 12/6/07-Monrovia, Liberia.

1. Meeting with LUSH
We started the day by meeting two representatives of LUSH (Liberia United to Serve Humanity). They were by
far the most helpful NGO we have met thus far, within a short meeting they told us all we need to know in
order to establish an NGO in Liberia. They also offered to share with us over a decade of experience in the field. They had previously partnered with the UNHCR for eleven years and have had many other contacts within the various UN Organizations. They referred us to two specific NGO’s involved in networking among social work agencies in Liberia; those being LINK and NADA. We then proceeded to book an appointment with the officer in charge of the UN mission in Liberia but were asked to submit a letter of intent before arranging a meeting.

2. Meeting with LRRRC
After inquiring about appointment in the UNMIL HQ we arrived at the Liberian Refugee, Re-integration and
Re-settlement Commission (LRRRC)

There, the plight of refugees from Ghana was presented by PCO delegation after a brief introduction of the
organization. The LRRRC deputy commissioner welcomed the group into his office and explained what they do for Liberian returnees. He said there were lots of vocational skills training available now for returning refugees. He also grimaces at the fact that many refugees were refusing to come home especially those in Ghana.

However, PCO delegation took the time to explain the impression of Liberian refugee concerning
repatriation. We said that the refugees consider the repatriation and reintegration packages very poor to
address their needs and problems; for example, returnees were given $5.00 for secondary transportation (meaning: to transport a returnee from a defined final point of arrival). This amount is not enough and returnee end up in frustration and sometimes find their way back to Ghana. We also made him to know that the refugees in Ghana narrated in our community peace cell meetings, the ordeal the went through before finally arriving in Ghana to seek refuge and that there is a need to pay special attention to them.

Having said that, we asked whether there was any program in place to address the question of insecurity
and to reduce the high level of fear which is one of the reasons why refugees are reluctant to return home.
The deputy director only said that there was improved security now in Liberia and everyone enjoys the shared protection of the government.

When asked what is the security guaranteed that Liberia will not return to violence after the departure of UNMIL, the Deputy Director said “UNMIL will not leave Liberia prematurely." Also, when we asked whether there was any peace program especially designed for returnees, he simply said, ‘none’!

However, the Director pledged his commission’s support to PCO should we come to do any project for returnees. He said since PCO works with refugees in exile he believes PCO is better prepared to work with them in Liberia as returnees. Statistics of Liberian refugees who have been repatriated was disclosed to PCO and a copy of the document was given to us.


Friday - 12/7/07

1. Meeting with Ministry of Gender and Development R/L
We began our daily meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Gender and development R/L. We introduced
PCO and told them our intention to establish the Gbarnga Women Center and solicited their collaboration. The Ministry was very enthusiastic about PCO plan. They said that they would be willing to support the
plan. Contact details for the County Coordinator were provided and PCO plan to visit the coordinator to
ascertain the actual situation on Saturday 12/8/07. We also rescheduled to meet with the deputy minister for rural women on Wednesday 12/12/07.

2. Telephone conversion with Quick Impact Project
We concluded our first week with a telephone conversation with Mr. Sam, a staff of the quick impact
project. Mr. Sam told us on the phone that he is aware of the youth center in Caldwell. We could not meet
because of time so we schedule to meet on Monday.

Finally friends, I am heading to Gbarnga, the former capitol of the Charles Taylor's NPFL. I will keep you
updated.

Thanks,

Emmanuel
Executive Director