The World Bank and the Liberian government, in partnership with the government of Japan, launched Wednesday a project designed to tackle unaddressed psychological trauma in Liberian communities affected by protracted civil war and a relentless Ebola outbreak.
Developers of the project hope that an increased focus on mental health will help spur economic recovery and growth in the devastated region by helping build social capital and community trust, while fostering positive coping behaviors and helping youth and women in particular manage family upheaval and find their way into the workforce.
“You have to understand the human suffering that’s driving the lack of development and poor social capital, lack of trust in your neighbor, lack of rebuilding,” Dr. Richard Mollica, mental health adviser for the project and director of the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma, told Devex.
About the author
Jeff Tyson@jtyson21
Jeff is a former global development reporter for Devex. Based in Washington, D.C., he covers multilateral affairs, U.S. aid, and international development trends. He has worked with human rights organizations in both Senegal and the U.S., and prior to joining Devex worked as a production assistant at National Public Radio. He holds a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in international relations and French from the University of Rochester.
