Refugee Environmental Action Programme

The UNHCR estimates that there are presently nearly 400,000 Sierra Leone refugees in camps in Guinea and Liberia. In Liberia, where this project will be launched, there are over 50,000 refugees in 8 camps situated in Montserrado, Cape Mount and Lofa Counties.

The environmental impact of refugee activities on the local forest resources and agricultural land, has in many cases been adverse and therefore a source of conflict between the refugees and host communities.

The main focus of the program is to help inform the host population and refugees residing in the camps, about environmental problems associated with civil conflicts. The program will also seek to inspire positive action by refugees and hosts to restore degraded forests and agricultural land and also generate income through the job-creating aspects of the program.

The program will facilitate training of refugees in tree nursery techniques and the production of clay-based energy saving stoves. Approximately 50,000 tree seedlings will be nursed and planted around the camps during the 1st cycle of the program. Also, about 10,000 eco-stoves will be produced for use mainly by refugee families as a menas of conserving fuel wood and charcoal, currently in short supply in all the camps.

	Campaign for environmental awareness, education and positive action in Liberia A nation wide environmental awareness campaign focusing especially on schools and communities in Monrovia and environs and an agroforestry initiative in Ganta, Nimba County.
	Environmental education, community agroforestry and energy saving scheme A pilot scheme, sponsored mainly by UNHCR under the Liberian Children's Initiative, is targeting returning refugees from Guinea, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone in 6 communities in Nimba County.
	Freetown School and Community Environmental Awareness and Action Program A 2-year environmental awareness and action program targeting schools in Freetown and village communities along the Freetown peninsula.