As Liberians continued to battle the issues of violence and other related crimes across the country, a non for profit organization, Survivors’ Truths-Liberia is aiming to addressed the needs of both survivors and victims. Accordingly, Survivors’ Truths is an institution that seeks the welfare of survivors against sexual gender based violence (SGBV), female genital mutilation (FGM) among others. Speaking in an exclusive interview with this paper over the weekend in Paynesville, Survivors’ Truths-Liberia Executive Director, Cooper Vuku disclosed that the institution is making great impact in Liberia by ensuring that victims or survivors of war, sexual gender based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM), Ebola and COVID-19 among others, are provided the opportunity to tell their stories. He said the program also seeks to help identify people who stories were not told from the beginning and bring them to the fore. According to him, the program started as far back as 2013, and they have been working with victims and survivors across the country on various issues affecting them. Β “Based on the many bitterness in our country, we thought it wise to establish this program in order to addressed some of the ills in society because for every little thing that happened, you will see people taking the law onto their own hands and that situation needs to be abolished,” he said. He continues: “This issue started during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) process where the space was provided for the perpetrators to show remorse, but all of them failed to do so.” He indicated that people who were the survivors and victims were not afforded the opportunity and space to be heard, something which motivated them to undertake said initiative. “Some people got angry about the hold TRC process because they were not giving the chance to tell their stories. There are lots of things that happened in our country that were not told and lot more still behind,” he said. Β He said being a documentary institution, they have talked to people who were victims of the war, who stories were not told, thus giving different version of what happened to them. The Survivors’ Truths ED further added that they have created the space and as well identify people who were trimatize by the war or SGBV to give their testimony. “We also introduce this livelihood program wherein we do not have cash to give them, but we all can sit and discuss how we can become important in society once more,” he said. He continues: “Even though some of the victims are dead and gone, but their stories lives on. They were victimized and died without justice. We can also share these stories with the international community if need be.” One of the participant, Madam Chue Goah Roberts, who spoke to our reporter, said there are lots of work that Survivors’ Truths is engaged with that includes meeting with grass rooters. She not that the institution is now spreading all over the country, ensuring that victims or survivors are able to tell their stories, thus putting themselves in the survivor shores. “We are currently active in seven of the fifteen counties, and we have coordinators and representatives in all of those counties as well,” she said. She continues: “If you work with them (Survivors) you will understand that there are so many issues that are going on, playing on the mind of people that they are unable to tell, but because of Survivors’ Truths, today we are now getting to know some of the things that people went through.” According to her, the institution is currently an empowerment program, wherein little packages will be presented to them so as to start something for Β themselves. She indicated that Survivors’ Truths is currently working with people from all sectors of society inbb ensuring that it’s programs are fully implemented that includes police, health care workers, SGBV, INGO among others. Macpherson C. Marbiah writes/0777250370-0886442881
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