Community Development Initiatives are programs that seek to address challenges faced by specific areas that are generally not well known, given much attention, or are underfunded. These programs are essential for Liberia and most underdeveloped countries. Contributions from both private sectors are much needed within these specific targeted areas, as well as collaborations between the public sector-governments, and private corporations in order to achieve the goal of directly impacting communities.
One of such initiatives, is the Clean Communities Initiatives: Innovative Waste Management Strategies for Sustainability – Welcome which was founded and is fully funded by GT Consultancy LLC is an alternative preventive health measure that seeks to improve the overall population health by eliminating “open dumps” from within communities and street corners, promote source separation of municipal solid waste, and encourage climate smart waste disposal system.
The Clean Communities Initiative is also actively engaging relevant stakeholders within government to see the need to pass a legislation mandating each county to have a Sorting and Recycling Center along with complementary primary sorting centers within districts and townships within the counties.
To be able to pass a law mandating each county to have a sorting & recycling center, the Zoning Act/Law of 1958 for Montserrado county needs to be updated and use as a template for the rest of the counties. This will enable local governments properly appropriate a land space that is not located in a residential area/district.
In this same vein, the Prison Health Initiative was founded with the sole intention of directly impacting prisoners’ health. The health condition of prisoners and the state of the prison environment are very poor due to lack of care and sufficient funds to maintain the prison health facilities. There is a widespread of communicable and non-communicable diseases in prison compounds. The larger population stands at high risk when these prisoners are society. Additionally, prison staffs and administrators are at high risk of contracting these diseases, thereby discouraging personnel from taking jobs at prison compounds.
The Prison Health Initiative seeks to sustainably improve the state of prison health facilities infrastructure, making show the essential drugs are available and medical practitioners are available.