UK Foundations
Soon after the outbreak of civil war in Liberia, tens of thousands of civilians fled to neighbouring Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast having witnessed and experienced rape, murder, mutilation, torture and deprivation with widespread appalling human suffering.
In 1991, Rev. Philip Cheale received a telephone call from Sierra Leone, from Liberian friends who had fled the developing war in neighbouring Liberia, the caller just said, “Please help us”.
To this day through Springwater, the Church Rev. Cheale Pastored to August 2008, and the local community, finances, food, clothing and practical goods to aid development of sustainability but not dependence on aid, have been donated and dispatched to Liberia by a loyal band of volunteers from local churches, businesses and the community around Reading, Berkshire, UK.
It has been evident for over 2 years, with the war in Liberia over and the potential for the work there and in the UK to expand, that a step-change of organisational capacity needs to be addressed if we are to see the future potential realised.
