Christian Children's Fund Liberia 
Revitalization of War Affected Communities and 
Reintegration of Women and Children Associated with the 
Fighting Forces 
 RWAC PROGRAM EVALUATION REPORT 
SEPTEMBER 2007 
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List of Acronyms
CAFF Children Affected by Fighting Forces 
CCF Christian Children's Fund 
CWC Child Welfare Committees 
DAI Development Alternatives Incorporated 
GoL Government of Liberia 
HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome 
ICC Interim Care Centers 
IDP Internally Displaced Persons 
ILO International Labor Organization 
IRC International Rescue Committee 
LCIP Liberia Community Infrastructure Project
LRRRC Liberian Repatriation Reintegration and Reconstruction Commission 
LURD Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy 
MODEL Movement for Democracy in Liberia 
NACP National AIDS Control Program 
NCDDRR National Commission for Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabilitation and 
Reintegration 
NRC Norwegian Refugee Council 
OFDA USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance 
REFLECT Regenerated Freirean Literacy through Empowering Community Techniques 
RWAC Revitalization of War Affected Communities and Reintegration of Women and 
Children Associated with the Fighting Forces 
SCF-UK Save the Children Fund, UK 
SGBV Sexual and Gender Based Virus 
STD/I Sexually Transmitted Disease/Infections 
TDC Town Development Councils 
UNDP United Nations Development Program 
UNHCR United Nations High Commission for Refugees 
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund 
UNMIL United Nations Mission in Liberia 
UNOCHA United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 
WAFF Women Affected by Fighting Forces 
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
The presented report has been produced at the request of Christian Children’s Fund’s￾LIBERIA, RWAC Project. It has been written on the basis of the documentation provided by 
RWAC Managers and the information gathered on the ground from the field staff and 
beneficiaries. 
The evaluator would like hereby to address his warmest thanks to the RWAC Program 
Manager and his team for the quality of the documentation and field visits facilities and 
hospitality. 
He also extends his sincere thanks and appreciation to the West Africa MED TA and CCF￾Liberia National Office respectively for the technical assistance and for all the support for 
the purpose of the evaluation. 
Ousmane Thiongane 
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1. Evaluation Profile Sheet 
ƒ Organization Name and Cooperative Agreement Number: 
Christian Children’s Fund, Inc. (CCF, Inc.) 
Cooperative Agreement Number: 669-A-00-04-00056 
ƒ Country Program Site: Christian Children’s Fund (CCF) – Liberia 
ƒ Program Period (Month/Year): September 10, 2004 - August 30, 2007 
ƒ Budget and Expenditures to date ($): 
Budget: USAID - $2,677,000, CCF - $799,450 
Expenditures as of 31/08/2007: USAID - $2,674,761, CCF - $799,457 
ƒ Date DIP was first approved and changes made to DIP: 
Submitted: May 12, 2005 
Changed: n/a 
ƒ Evaluation Start Date: August 20, 2007 
End Date: September 02, 2007 
 Completion of Draft Report: No later than September 17, 2007
2. Summary of Major Conclusions 
The overall goal of the Revitalization of War Affected Communities and Reintegration of 
Women and Children Associated with the Fighting Forces (RWAC) program was to revitalize 
communities and increase their capacity to effectively integrate Women Affected by the 
Fighting Forces (WAFF), Children Affected by the Fighting Forces (CAFF) and war affected 
community members, including refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDPs). 
The RWAC program wanted to contribute to building the social foundations necessary for 
successful reintegration of WAFF, CAFF and war affected individuals through the 
strengthening or creation of participatory community structures, including Child Welfare 
Committees (CWCs). 
This was to be accomplished under two main objectives: 
• To facilitate social integration through the strengthening of community capacity to 
ensure the protection rights of CAFF, WAFF and war affected children, including 
survival, non-discrimination, development and participation; 
• To promote economic growth opportunities through the provision of 
literacy/numeracy, vocational skills training, entrepreneurship training, links to 
employment through apprenticeships and mentoring programs and follow up 
employment support. 
Assessing the progress toward the two major objectives, the following appears to have 
occurred: 
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¾ Under the first objective, ‘social reintegration’, RWAC has performed pretty well, 
reaching most of its indicators. 
¾ Under the second objective, ‘promote economic growth opportunities’, RWAC had 
some difficulties achieving some of the indicators and due to factors both external 
(beneficiary migration, a lower-than-anticipated caseload of CAFF & WAFF, etc) and 
internal (high turnover of key staff, failure to adapt the program in a timely fashion), 
under some components less was done during the 3-year run of the program. In short, 
the contribution of this objective was not as effective as it had intended to be toward the 
achievement of the overall goal. 
¾ Being aware of its difficulties, it was decided in year 3 to refocus its workplan to 
include agriculture and new business training in the vocational training component. But 
the issue is, even if it is never late to do better, these new activities were so recent there 
was no time for M& E to know its impact. 
¾ The high turn over of the senior staff especially the Program Managers (3 PMs for a 3 
year program) caused serious and negative effects for the whole overall program 
management and the achievement of results by being unstable and inconsistent about 
the strategies used and creating real frustration among the entire staff. 
¾ No micro-credit scheme was made available to provide start-up capital. A lot of money 
had been budgeted for micro credit, more than $200,000 of CCF match funds, but 
nothing with microcredit was done during the 3 years of the program. RWAC did not 
recruit a specialist in microcredit after the resignation of the first Economic Technical 
Advisor in late year one. RWAC did start giving in-kind raw materials (equivalent of 
$50) in year 3 to business trainees. 
¾ Due to several factors, communication between CCF and USAID was not always 
regular. Throughout program implementation CCF was in regular contact with UN 
agencies and with USDoS which were funding programs in Liberia. It should be noted 
that the RWAC Program Manager was only able to meet with USAID’s CTO on one 
occasion in order to discuss revising the workplan for Year 3. 
3. Lessons Learned and Program Recommendations 
¾ A program must have an M & E component: Among the origins of the main difficulties 
of RWAC is the absence of an M & E team in Years 1 and 2 which would have helped 
keep the project manager informed in a timely manner of potential problems in program 
implementation. CCF-Liberia took corrective steps and established an M&E team in 
Year 3 to capture past achievements. Also in Year 3, the PM created the post of roving 
M&E advisor to monitor program progress in the field and submit quarterly reports. 
¾ The closing out process: It should have been well planned and two important 
dimensions should have been included as it is CCF’s intention to responsibly implement 
programs and continue its activities in the country. The two dimensions are: 
• Community meeting: To create a meeting with communities members and explain 
the end of the project and to receive their feed back. This was agreed to by Field 
Coordinators in an Exit Strategy planning meeting in the final months of the 
program, but only implemented in some communities. 
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• Staff meeting: To give them more consideration and creating a productive 
meeting at the end of project as RWAC has well trained staff who can be used in 
the future by other CCF programs. 
RWAC planned well most of the close out process but the two items described above 
were not fully executed. 
¾ PM and senior staff recruitment: It is important to select well-engaged and experienced 
staff to start a new program in a post conflict country as is the case in Liberia. There was a 
real problem with the instability and level of experience of key staff. 
¾ External Technical Assistance: Such kind of staff is very important, but can be very 
costly, especially if used on a full time basis. So if possible can use West Africa TA in 
their domains and who have more experience in CCF procedures, guidelines and 
objectives. RWAC spent a lot of money on TA recruitment with no experienced results 
over the three year program. One important exception was the hiring of the midterm 
review consultant, whose report became the basis of the revised work plan in the Economic 
Recovery component in Year 3. 
¾ Cultivate cross sector/program partnerships: It is well accepted that a program has its own 
goal and objectives, but that does not mean working alone is the only way of achieving its 
objectives. CCF must be seen as ONE agency, so the relationship between programs is a 
necessity. The RWAC program collaborated with the BPRM and Child Fund Ireland 
funded SAFE program. RWAC realized that the dimension of cultivating partnerships is a 
key to success in Year 3 of the program. 
¾ Relationship with Donors: This is a very critical issue. The end of a program does not 
mean the end of partnership and it is CCF’s advantage to develop and maintain positive 
relationship with its main donors. CCF is well known by its efforts to respect the terms of 
both the signed Cooperative Agreement and the agreed DIP. 
¾ Master the Art of Adaptation: RWAC revised its Year 3 work plan in response to the mid￾term evaluation. It made this revision to increase its impact, but unfortunately that 
measure was taken in Year 3. What can be learned is the necessity along the program life 
cycle of reacting rapidly by modifying its original approach on the basis of external 
signals. Rapid adaptability is sometimes the key for program success in post war 
countries. 
4. Program Background 
In August 2003 the warring factions in Liberia signed a Peace Agreement bringing to a halt a 
series of violent conflicts that had gone on since 1989. During these 14 years of war, 
electricity, water, telecommunications, roads, housing, and industrial and agricultural 
infrastructure were either damaged or completely destroyed. Over 350,000 Liberian refugees 
fled to neighboring countries and almost half a million IDPs were chased from their homes. 
An estimated 15,000 children were associated with the fighting forces, given drugs, used as 
sex slaves, and used to perpetrate many of the atrocities in one of Africa’s bloodiest conflicts. 
The signatories to the Peace Agreement were the Government of Liberia (GoL), the Liberians 
United for Reconciliation and democracy (LURD), the Movement for Democracy in Liberia 
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(Model) and Liberian political parties. The National Commission for Disarmament, 
Demobilisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (NCDDRR) was established. In September 
2003, the UN Security Council approved the creation, and deployment of a 15 000 strong 
UNMIL force to support the peace process and the transitional government. The UN 
coordinated Appeal for Liberia was launched in October. 
An initial Disarmament and Demobilization process was begun in December 2003. Between 
April 15 and May 23, 2004, approximately 20,000 former adult combatants were disarmed 
and brought to cantonment sites for medical screening, counseling and preparation for their 
return to their communities. In addition, over 2,000 CAFF had been brought to Interim Care 
Centers (ICCs) to receive medical care, food, clothing, educational and psycho-social 
services, and to be traced and reunified with their families or caregivers. Approximately 300 
children in Bomi and Bong counties have been reunited with their families. In total UNMIL 
estimates that between 38,000 – 45,000 combatants will be processed by the DDRR, of which 
approximately 15,0001
 are children. Moreover, there are 600,000 IDPs and refugees that will 
have returned over two years. 
From the few child and women combatants who spontaneously demobilized and the more 
than 2,000, who were processed through the 15 ICCs, it appeared that a significant percentage 
of these CAFF used marijuana and other illegal substances and had little or no education. 
Moreover, many WAFF and girl CAFF were sexually abused. CAFF and WAFF examined in 
cantonment sites showed a high incidence of gonorrhea and other STIs, and assumptions were 
that HIV rates were significantly higher with these groups than in the general population. In 
general, CAFF and WAFF had few opportunities for positive social interaction and 
development. Nor did they have access to services to address the many atrocities they had 
witnessed and participated in. Training and employment opportunities for these children and 
youth were slim. There was great risk that they would once again became involved in 
violence, drugs, and other illegal activities once they return to their communities. 
While the WAFF and CAFF were affected by their participation in the fighting, communities 
were also devastated by the 14 year cycle of violence, poverty, lack of education and training, 
and a dearth of opportunities for normal development. Economic growth was much lower 
than pre-war levels. The unemployment rate in the formal sector rose to 85% of the total labor 
force of about one million people. Liberia remains amongst the most food insecure countries 
in West Africa, with 27% of the children under five years old undernourished. The adult 
literacy rate is 37% compared to an African average of 58% (OXFAM and UNOCHA 
statistics). 
There was considerable displacement of people throughout Liberia, with the hardest hit 
counties being Lofa, Bomi, Bong and Gbarpolu. For example, over 52% of the population of 
Lofa was displaced during the 14 year instability, while in Bomi, that figure was about 24%, 
with nearly 124,000 people either IDPs or refugees2
. The dislocation of persons and 
separation of families caused by the civil war also provided opportunities for the spread of 
HIV/AIDS. According to UNDP, the national sero-prevalence rate was estimated at 8% at the 
beginning of 2003, and sero-prevalance was projected to reach 12% by the end of 2004.3
 
In focus group discussions conducted as part of the pre-RWAC assessment, CWC members 
 
1
 USAID APS for Peace and Security through Community Revitalization and Reintegration. Page 4. 2
 Source: February 2004 UN/WB Joint Needs Assessment Sector Working Paper
3
 www.lr.undp.org 
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listed substance abuse as a major threat to their children, estimating that between 80% and 
90% of local businesses openly sold marijuana. In at least 18 focus group discussions held 
across the four intervention areas, involving over 250 people in May 2004, rape and sexual 
violence against girls were consistently emphasized as major problems during war. 
Discussion participants confirmed that GBV continued to be a persistent problem. 
Another problem encountered throughout the four proposed counties was the lack of 
education and literacy skills among the CAFF, and WAFF. Once again, focus group 
discussions revealed a high level of school dropouts, and a strong desire to acquire literacy 
and numeracy skills in order to pursue various livelihoods. 
CCF-Liberia 
According to the original program agreement, CCF-Liberia implemented six Interim Care 
Center (ICC) programs aimed at facilitating the transition of CAFF toward peaceful and 
productive lives. CCF also implemented an OFDA funded water and sanitation project in 
three counties, including Bomi, Gbarpolu, and Grand Cape Mount. CCF-Liberia had over 200 
program and support staff and had the infrastructure in place implement this project. CCF￾Liberia’s core team was made up of experienced expatriates, including its Country 
Representative. Aside from the core staff, CCF-Liberia was staffed primarily by experienced 
nationals who knew the situation, language and culture of Liberia and understood the complex 
dynamics of reintegration and reconciliation. CCF-Liberia expanded its staff pool to include 
technical, logistical, and managerial positions to implement the RWAC project. 
CCF has an independent registration in Liberia and has been a strong advocate for getting 
youth and children’s concerns on the DDRR program through bilateral meetings and 
collective work in the Child Protection Core Group. CCF partnered with UNICEF and UNDP 
in running ICCs in Bomi, Bong and Gbarpolu Counties. CCF also worked in close 
association with the DDRR process. CCF Liberia worked closely with various stakeholders 
and was well established in the four target counties which facilitated the implementation of 
RWAC. 
Community Role (As proposed) 
The RWAC program was to build upon the community organization work accomplished by 
CCF in its then on-going UNICEF/UNDP funded “Interim Care for War Affected Children” 
(ICC) in Gbarpolu, Bong, Lofa, and Bomi Counties. Through the ICC project, CCF 
established Community Wellbeing Committees (CWCs) in communities around the ICCs and 
established additional committees at the clan, district, and village levels. The RWAC project 
worked with established CWCs in 10 RWAC target communities and facilitated the formation 
of new CWCs in each of the other target communities. 
CWCs were comprised of 12 or more dedicated community members (including children and 
youth) and leaders who were selected by the communities after a series of sensitization and 
awareness meetings facilitated by CCF. The CWCs were then trained to facilitate the process 
of community risk assessment and mapping, prioritizing and ranking problems and lead the 
development of community solutions to those problems at the district and village level in 
matters relating to the rights of the child. 
CWCs sensitized host communities to the difficulties facing returning CAFF, WAFF and tried 
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to ensure that they were included in the analysis, planning, and implementation of community 
solutions. In addition, since no active child protection component existed in Liberian 
Repatriation Reintegration and Reconstruction Commission’s (LRRRC’s) proposed re￾integration structures, CWCs served to inform the work of LRRRC’s proposed Town 
Development Councils (TDCs) at the district and village level in matters relating to children. 
The 20 CWC’s were also trained to identify suitable community workshops and artisans 
focusing on the informal sector production and services. In each of the 20 communities, some 
eight to 10 qualified community members were to serve as master artisans and mentors in the 
vocational skills training project component for a total of 160 to 200 Master Artisan trainers 
in the program area. During the program lifecycle as post conflict recovery continued, CCF 
was to continue to explore with CWC’s new possibilities for diversifying skills and non￾traditional careers and identify gaps in present vocations that can be filled. CCF community 
outreach and social workers and small business trainers were to work with CWC’s and local 
mentors to provide literacy and numeracy training, counseling, appropriate family support, 
links to employment, entrepreneur skills training, and continued guidance and support after 
employment. 
5. Original Proposed Program 
Program Model or Approach 
CCF is the UNICEF designated child protection agency in Bong, Bomi and Gbarpolu 
Counties, serving an estimated 1,800 CAFF in six ICCs and supervising eight others. CCF 
will build upon and extend its initial re-integration work accomplished with CAFF in the 
ICC’s and in their communities and throughout the children’s family tracing and re￾unification process. Using a phased approach to project implementation, the proposed project 
will start in communities with existing CCF programs in Bong, Bomi and Gbarpolu, and Lofa 
Counties, and consolidate activities. In addition, CCF is currently working to provide 
psychosocial care to Liberian refugees in eight Sierra Leonean camps, the majority of who 
will return to the designated project area. UNHCR plans for these refugees to return to 
Liberia beginning October 2004. The RWAC program will coordinate with the International 
Rescue Committee in Lofa, where IRC interventions are planned in Kolahun and Vojama 
districts. The RWAC program will work in districts which have a high return of CAFF, such 
as Foya, Vahun, Zorzor and Salayea. In addition, the RWAC program will coordinate with 
Save the Children UK (SCF-UK) in Gbarnga to ensure complementary coverage of districts. 
The prevention of HIV/AIDS is also a priority topic throughout Liberia, but especially in 
areas with high movement of the population. The National AIDS Control Program (NACP) is 
embarking on a new multisectoral HIV prevention project, with support from UNDP. The 
RWAC program will support these efforts by including community sensitization, the creation 
of crosscutting HIV/AIDS prevention messages to be disseminated and activities throughout 
this project, and thereby contribute to the government’s multisectoral approach to the 
prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. 
The RWAC program will be phased over three-years beginning with community sensitization 
and formation of CWCs, organization of civic works projects, community based 
reconciliation and psychosocial activities, pre-vocational orientation, introduction of literacy, 
numeracy, and lifeskills program components, formation of community vocational skills 
training venues, and job placement, follow-up and support. CCF recognizes the importance of 
community participation and ownership of the reintegration process and the urgency in 
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stabilizing communities and to create the conditions for longer term development. Over the 
first two years of implementation, the RWAC program will use a community based, 
participatory approach, in which community members will facilitate all skills training and re￾integration activities. The third year of the project cycle will be used for consolidation of 
program gains. During this year, there will be further follow-up and monitoring of the first 
1500 program participants, placement and follow-up of the second group of beneficiaries and 
work to hand over remaining CCF functions to CWC’s. Also by this time, it is possible that 
the majority of CAFF, WAFF, and war-affected children will be fully integrated into the 
community and that community structures facilitated during CCF’s involvement will become 
freestanding. To reduce or offset the potential opportunity cost to families due to having one 
or more of their children participating in the training programs, a Training Allowance will be 
given to these families. 
The exact modalities of these grants will be developed with the communities and families. 
CCF proposes this innovative support model because the population in the target areas is 
extremely poor and vulnerable. As such, families may not be able to allow their children to 
participant in training activities, even if they recognize the benefits to the children and the 
family in the long run. Unfortunately, short term food and income needs could preclude 
participation in training activities, as families are forced to allocate all available labor in 
pursuit of greater food security. Similarly, artisans will be compensated for their participation 
in the program, and will be given a combination of cash and materials. 
Specific Interventions and Program Activities 
Social Reintegration and Reconciliation 
Reintegration and reconciliation in post-war societies is best accomplished through an array 
of activities. CAFF in particular need organized activities that work in different ways to bring 
about positive and lasting change in their lives. To accomplish this objective, CCF will 
employ a highly successful model it used in other war-torn countries to assist the reintegration 
of former child soldiers and war-affected youth by organizing young people’s participation in 
community-selected civic work projects, engaging youth and community members in 
organized dialogues and promoting recreation and other activities to improve the psychosocial 
conditions of children. 
CCF will use the REFLECT methodology to guide the vision of, and facilitate the activities in 
its reintegration and reconciliation program. Reflect is an innovative approach to learning and 
social change which fuses the theories of Paulo Freire4
 with the methodology of participatory 
rural appraisal5
. REFLECT’s participatory, empowering process gives participants the 
opportunity to discuss the causes of and explore the solutions for day to day socio-economic, 
political, and cultural issues and also to uncover complicated social problems such as 
domestic violence, teen pregnancy and HIV/AIDS. Reflect will also create the link between 
social and economic reintegration via linking the NRC Youth Pack literacy approach to 
provide basic education/literacy competency to participants in the Project’s Skills Building 
components . 
Civic Works Projects 
 
4 Paulo Freire: http://217.206.205.24/reflect/tree/freire.htm 5 participatory rural appraisal: http://217.206.205.24/reflect/tree/participatorytools.htm 
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To advance reconciliation, ex-combatants and community members will cooperate on at least 
40 civic projects that build basic infrastructure and strengthen local capacities such as 
building and community development associations. These civic works projects will 
compliment DAI’s activities within the USAID funded Liberia Community Infrastructure 
Project (LCIP). LCIP is a large, complex, three-year effort focusing on demobilizing ex￾combatants and other war-affected populations and reintegrating them into the productive 
work place. The program emphasizes the reconstruction of community infrastructure—
schools, clinics, water services, markets, and roads—as a means for coupling gainful 
employment and skills training with priority social services. While LCIP targets up to 20,000 
former adult combatants and war affected adults, CCF’s RWAC project involve CAFF and 
other under 18 war affected children and youth. 
Community dialogues will be held in each of the 20 target communities on topics such as 
reconciliation and human rights will support acceptance of ex-combatants, who will 
demonstrate their community commitment through participation in civic works and through 
attitudes and behaviors learned in psychosocial workshops. 
CCF will employ a model it has used in other post-conflict countries to assist the reintegration 
of former child soldiers and war-affected youth. In these regions, CCF along with community 
committees, organized young people’s participation in community-selected civic work 
projects, engaged youth and community members in organized dialogues and facilitated 
recreation and other activities to improve the psychosocial welfare of children. In addition, 
the use of traditional cleansing rituals used in certain communities will be incorporated into 
the reconciliation process when appropriate. These indigenous rituals were found to be 
extremely helpful in contributing to the reconciliation and re-integration process employed by 
CCF-Sierra Leone. 
Construction or reconstruction of local infrastructure such as schools, water and sanitation 
facilities, roads, small bridges, and schools is a very high priority in Liberia. The 80 projects 
anticipated under this program will be selected by CWC’s and local authorities to employ 
youth as unskilled laborers in civic works projects. The average amount allocated to these 
civic works will be US$5,000 per project, or US$400,000 invested over the three-year 
implementation period. CCF is currently implementing an OFDA funded emergency water 
and sanitation rehabilitation project in Gbarpolu and Bomi Counties. Returning CAFF, 
WAFF, and war-affected children will be recruited into the work force for these projects. 
The collaboration of former child soldiers with young people who were not actively involved 
with the fighting forces is excellent means of reducing tension, building tolerance, and 
increasing integration. Youth participation in civic works projects will provide them with an 
immediate goal, some “pocket funds”, and will present CAFF in a more favorable light to the 
rest of the community. As elders observe young people fulfilling a positive role for their 
community, they may begin to respect young people’s ability to participate in the 
rehabilitation and life of their communities. In addition, community celebrations will be 
organized by CWCs at the completion of each project, recognize and highlight youth 
participation and contribution to the community. 
The key to the success of these projects is that they are community-selected and owned. CCF 
staff will work with the 20 CWCs to facilitate village dialogues to identify projects that are 
most needed. After a village has selected a project, CCF will organize the necessary logistics 
such as obtaining building materials and working with engineering experts. To organize 
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participating youth, estimated at approximately 150 per community, community mobilizers 
will work with individual young people selected for their dynamism, ability to mobilize youth 
for community service, and level of respect by young people and elders in their local 
community. At least 15 youth leaders will be selected and trained per community. 
The LRRRC has proposed a local development structure, Town Development Councils, 
(TDAs), to identify and monitor all development projects taking place in local communities. 
Unfortunately, this committee is not organized to assure the participation of youth. CCF 
Child Welfare Committees will collaborate with LRRRC local structures to ensure that 
children’s rights and participation are considered in all projects selections. In addition, 
USAID funded civic works projects through Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI); 
do not include those under 18. Through its civic works component, CCF extends the social 
and economic benefits of this approach to include CAFF. 
Compensation will be given to civic works participants, with the amount depending on 
whether they contribute skilled or unskilled labor. The exact amounts to be paid will be 
decided with the CWCs during the design phase of these projects, and in accordance with 
current wage rates. 
Recreation and Psychosocial Support 
In addition to community and peer dialogues, the 20 outreach workers (five in each county) 
will facilitate activities such as drawing, arts and crafts, cultural songs and drama, traditional 
dance, and sports activities designed to promote emotional and social reintegration. Team 
sports such as football and volleyball are particularly useful as a reconciliation and 
psychosocial strategy for groups of youth. Teams will be organized of mixed groups of 
CAFF, returnees, and IDP's, which serves as an anecdote for replacing the rivalry of war with 
healthy competition and belonging to a normative group based on cooperation. Youth team 
leaders will be selected by CWCs and trained by a combination of CWC members and CCF 
community mobilizers. This activity will build on CAFF's experience in participating in team 
sports in ICCs. 
CCF estimates that with the addition of structured activities the majority of war-affected 
children's psychosocial needs can be addressed. CCF's approach of training CWC's in child 
and youth protection, identification of children with special needs, and ensuring extra support 
for vulnerable youth and children to join, and continue to participate in these activities will 
assist the community in providing psychosocial care for its children. In addition, providing 
teacher training in recognizing and treating the psychological effects of war in students will 
assist students to stay in school. With the lack of professional mental health services in 
Liberia, culturally appropriate approaches to treatment are the best desirable and most 
sustainable alternative. 
Additionally, during the skills training process, CCF social workers will meet regularly with 
participants to systematically monitor their progress. These meetings will identify which 
youth are having difficulties reintegrating into the community, with his/her family, 
experiencing behavior problems or experiencing other psychosocial problems such as 
depression, anxiety, post traumatic distress symptoms, or having difficulty participating in the 
program as a result of his/her war experience. 
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Economic Growth and Reintegration 
Literacy/Numeracy/Skills Training 
Improving the education and creating employment opportunities at the same time are the 
greatest challenges right now facing Liberia (ILO, March, 2004). A weakness common to 
most vocational skills training programs in Liberia is the lack of job placement, business 
planning and follow-up of graduates. At the root of this problem is illiteracy and limited 
exposure to improved business practices. There have been a number of innovative 
approaches developed for teaching functional literacy and business skills to small enterprise 
managers to complement the skills training provided in the community workshops. CCF will 
adapt Norwegian Refugee Council’s (NRC) successful Youth Pack literacy, numeracy 
program, and life skills to its on-going business skills and hands–on skills training. The youth 
literacy program has been designed, keeping in mind the needs of youth between the ages of 
14 and 22, who have little or no formal educational background, and includes components on 
literacy, numeracy, health, physical education, peace, and human rights, as well as practical 
skills training to facilitate functional literacy for young people, help build their self reliance, 
and increase their chance of employment. This program has been specifically designed for ex￾combatants, IDPs, returnees, and local youth. 
Skills Training and Mentoring
This strategy addresses the immediate needs of many CAFF to turn a newly acquired skill into 
a viable business opportunity. There is a pressing need for a program that provides basic 
training in technical skills that can be mastered in less than 6 months, like baking, brick 
making or fishing, and a another option for skills development requiring a longer period, such 
as for carpentry, welding or car mechanics. The RWAC program will offer choices to 
participants and design programs accordingly, with consideration and programming options 
for youth who have previously received training. 
Short-term training is especially appropriate for older CAFF who may have received some 
training, as well as youth who are entering the workforce for the first time, but do not want 
additional training. RWAC will begin by offering an introductory skill course for each of the 
major fields of interest, which will provide basic information about the business or skill. At 
the end of the course, participants are required to organize themselves into groups of five to 
seven individuals. The program will link each group with an experienced business person or 
Master Artisan who will continue to monitor the development of their technical skills and 
serve as a business mentor to the group. Appropriate tool kits will be given to each of the 200 
community mentors at the beginning of the training sessions and will remain with the artisan 
mentors for as long as the apprentice remains with the mentor. 
Simultaneously, a CCF Small Business Training Officer will help the group decide how they 
will work together, provide formal business management training and assist the group develop 
a simple business plan. It is expected that the majority of groups will need a fixed asset that 
can be shared, like an oven, tool set or circular saw. With an acceptable business plan in 
place, CCF will offer group loans for fixed asset purchases and working capital. These loans 
will be reimbursed through community service, such as donated labor to civic works projects, 
or time allocated to training others in vocational skills or literacy. Other ways of repayment 
may be possible, depending upon the community needs as decided in consultation with the 
CWCs. The unique characteristic of this component is that during the project period, the 
13
mentor will continue to act as a technical advisor to the group. 
Vocational skills demanding more than six months to achieve complete competency include 
carpenter, mason, metal-worker, electrician, mechanic, and tailoring. Each master artisan will 
receive training from CCF’s Economic Reintegration Officers to upgrade the artisan’s 
business management skills and assist the artisan in transferring both his or her technical and 
business skills to the apprentice(s). This in particular is intended to provide a means to reach 
those beneficiaries who may benefit from a more structured format, i.e. youth experiencing 
adjustment difficulties, those desiring to fully master a skill before starting their own business, 
or those with interest in a particular trade. The time period, level of supervision and continuity 
are more intensive allowing the CAFF, WAFF or war affected child to feel secure in their 
future. 
Upon acceptance of the business plan at the end of the training period, start up grants will be 
offered in either cash, in-kind, or some combination of the two for up to $150 per approved 
plan. Recipients of the grants would then be obliged to contribute either time, skills or 
products to their communities, as stipulated in the business plans. For example, trained 
program beneficiaries can devote time to training other new program beneficiaries. The 
business plans will be approved and monitored by the CWCs and relevant community 
structures. 
In the event that a community or district lacks available master artisans in specific fields, 
especially female master artisans, CCF will contract with a vocational training institute to 
provide vocational and basic business skills to the program participants.
6. Program Goals and Objectives as Proposed: 
The goal of the Revitalization of War Affected Communities and Reintegration of Women 
and Children Associated with the Fighting Forces (RWAC) program is to revitalize 
communities and increase their capacity to effectively integrate: 
-Women Associated with the fighting forces (WAFF), 
- Children affected by the Fighting Forces (CAFF) and 
- War affected community members, including refugees and Internally Displaced 
People (IDPs). 
The program will target 3,000 direct beneficiaries, to include, 1,500 CAFF, 750 WAFF and 
750 war affected children in Lofa, Gbarpolu, Bong, and Bomi counties. 
The project will have two main objectives: 
¾ To facilitate social integration through the strengthening of community capacity to ensure 
the protection rights of CAFF, WAFF and war affected children, including survival, non￾discrimination, development and participation; 
¾ To promote economic growth opportunities through the provision of literacy/numeracy, 
vocational skills training, entrepreneurship training, links to employment through 
apprenticeships and mentoring programs and follow up employment support. 
7. PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENTS 
14
Strengths, Weaknesses, and Constraints of Actual Program Implementation
OBJECTIVE STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES/CONTRAINTS 
1. To facilitate social integration
through the strengthening of 
community capacity to ensure the 
protection rights of CAFF, WAFF 
and war affected children, including 
survival, non-discrimination, 
development and participation; 
• Good community-based and 
participatory approach 
during implementation 
ownership of the process. 
• RWAC staff was based in 
the community where they 
served ;that proximity was 
fundamental to the success 
of main activities and social 
reintegration of CAFF and 
WAFF; creating trust with 
community members during 
dialogs for example 
• RWAC increased 
community awareness and 
understanding of various 
issues such as substance 
abuse, HIV/AIDS, teenage 
pregnancy and SGBV and 
developed community 
solutions for prevention 
• Because of RWAC 
community members know 
the importance of their rights 
and how to follow up their 
plights to Districts 
• RWAC stimulated in all the 
areas of intervention 
recreational activities and 
provided children 
recreational materials such 
as footballs, volleyballs, 
enabling an environment of 
unity of the children and 
youth 
• Staff mobility: each RWAC staff 
member served in average 5 
communities and was confronted 
with a shortage of motorbikes; 
RWAC did not budget enough to 
resolve that issue or to repair the 
existing ones. 
• Promises made were not always 
respected, including delivery of 
some materials with a delay, 
especially during raining season 
• Rapid migration of target 
population caused difficulties in 
some areas to effectively know the 
location of beneficiaries for follow 
up of activities. Also, CCF-Liberia 
never received the anticipated 
numbers of CAFF and WAFF 
cases. 
• Program was designed to target 
mostly CAFF and WAFF, but at 
the community level there wasn’t 
always a real difference between 
beneficiaries and other community 
members (OCM), thus the program 
was later opened up to OCM. 
2. To promote economic growth 
opportunities through the provision 
of literacy/numeracy, vocational 
skills training, entrepreneurship 
training, links to employment 
through apprenticeships and 
mentoring programs and follow up 
employment support. 
• Using effectively and 
consistently the REFLECT 
methodology in the 
communities 
• A lot of well-appreciated 
trainings on 
literacy/numeracy. 
• High number of skilled 
literacy trainers who will be 
available to continue training 
at the community level and 
beyond 
• Many vocational and 
entrepreneurship skill 
trainings for artisans and 
women 
• Intensive on-site training on 
agriculture issues (crop 
• Instability of strategy used, 
difficulties having a coherent 
approach: resulted in refocusing 
RWAC workplan in Year 3 to 
include agriculture and business 
training in its vocational skills 
training along with the trade skills 
training (carpentry, masonry, soap 
making). 
• Artisans and trainees expected to 
receive a training allowance for 
their participation in skills training 
session, many difficulties 
respecting this for changing 
implementation approach reasons; 
migration of beneficiaries to other 
NGOS programs that were giving 
stipends. 
15
science, composting, etc.) 
• Small grants given to start 
businesses 
• Skills taught were based on a 
market survey and the preferences 
of beneficiaries themselves. 
However, in a cash-poor post￾conflict rural economy, trade skills 
are often not marketable. This 
prompted the change to 
agricultural and small business 
skills in Year 3. 
• Starting saving clubs or given start 
up funds in some areas without any 
expertise in microfinance or 
guiding and monitoring plan 
Achievement of Objectives 
Objective One: Social 
Reintegration
MAJOR PLANNED ACTIVITIES INDICATORS AND TARGETS TARGETS -
EOP 
ACHIEVED
EOP
COMMENTS
A total of 20 Child Welfare 
ommittees (CWCs) will be 
tablished and functioning in year I 
nd will continue in Years II and III. 
Twenty Committees over Three 
Years) 
C
es
a
(
Provide needed psycho-social assistance 20 66 
via recreational, non-formal education 
activities for children and youth, 
community monitoring and follow up, 
and peer dialogues; 
1,500 CAFF, WAFF and war 
affected children will participate in 
Year I, and another batch of 1500 
will participate in Year II. In Year III 
all 3000 will be participating in 
organized recreational, psychosocial, 
and non-formal education activities 
(3,000 over Three Years) 
3000 3848 
RWAC perform well by 
surpassing the target 
Raise awareness on issues related to the 
reintegration of these target groups and 
cross cutting issues such as substance 
abuse, HIV/AIDS, STDs and SGBV and 
develop community solutions for 
prevention; and, 
240 community dialogue sessions 
per year will take place in Year I of 
the project, followed by the same 
number in Years II and III. These 
sessions will focus on Peer and 
community dialogues on HIV/AIDS, 
GBV, and substance abuse using the 
REFLECT methodology. (Over 
three years, 720 sessions will take 
place) 
720 760 Many dialogues were 
organized by staff
16
Develop referral mechanisms and 
structures for those needing special care 
(victims of torture and sexual abuse, 
disabled, mentally ill, and substance 
abusers). 
It is estimated that 20 cases per year
of substance abuse and GBV will 
need more thorough care, beyond the 
community well-being structure. 
These cases will be referred to 
appropriate medical facilities in 
Monrovia or referred to other 
organizations that can provide them a 
higher level of care. 
60 486 If during Y1&Y2, the 
annual targets have not 
been achieved, at Y3 
RWAC partnership 
with the GBV program 
has allowed it to far 
exceed its target as 
RWAC staff 
consistently report 5 or 
more cases per month to 
their GBV colleagues 
Strengthen social support networks and 
build the capacity of existing support 
mechanisms and institutions, such as the 
CWCs 
A total of 20 Civic Works Projects 
will be designed and implemented in 
Year I by CWCs with CAFF, WAFF 
and war affected children. 
20 19 RWAC has performed 
reasonably well by 
working with the 
community to design and 
implement the projects in a 
participatory manner, and 
in employing the CAFF 
trainees to do some of the 
construction work 
whenever possible. 
Objective Two: Promote 
Economic growth opportunities 
MAJOR PLANNED ACTIVITIES
INDICATORS AND TARGETS TARGETS -
EOP 
ACHIEVED
EOP 
COMMENTS
A total of 3000 CAFF/WAFF (1500 
in Year I, and 1500 in Year II) will 
participate in the literacy and 
numeracy training 
3000 1755 
A total of 150 community teachers 
will be trained in the NRC Youth 
Pack methodology. The training will 
take place in Year I, and they will 
continue teaching in Years II and III.
150 82 
200 Artisan workshops upgraded 100
each in Year I and II.
200 164 
A total of 3000 Participants (1500 
each in Year I and II) will be 
involved in skills training via 
mentoring and community 
workshops 
3000 2677 
Provide skills training via 
apprenticeships, mentoring, and 
community workshops (integrated with 
literacy and numeracy training and life 
skills). 
A total of 2250 participants (1125 
each in Year I, and II) are expected 
to undergo and complete one 
vocational skills training program. 
2250 2026 
CCF Liberia was unable to 
achieve full REFLECT 
participation due to a lack 
of demand. 
Establish and strengthen referral 
services for employment. 
It is expected that of the total 2250 
participants who will finish the skills 
training program, 562 will develop
business plans in Year I and 563 in 
Year II (total of 1125). 
1125 811 Under this objective , it is 
recognized that RWAC had 
a lot of difficulties to find 
ways to help trainees 
developing BP and 
17
It is expected that 1125 CAFF, 
WAFF will be employed by master 
Artisans or will be self-employed in 
Year I, and will be followed by 
another batch of participants in Year 
II. By Year III a total of 2250 
participants will be employed either 
with Artisans or self-employed 
2250 1425 strengthen a favourable 
environment of job 
creation 
Provide appropriate credit for qualifying 
graduates. 
n/a n/a Rather than loans, RWAC 
provided packages of in￾kind raw materials with 
values of $50 to start 
businesses to 811 
beneficiaries. 
Improve coordination with DAI, 
USAID, UNHCR, UNDP and other 
agencies involved in economic 
integration programs. 
n/a n/a CCF has been in regular 
communication with UN 
agencies and US DoS. 
Results Analysis 
Objective 1 
RWAC has performed fairly well under this objective, reaching most of its indicators and its 
activities under this objective with most of the results having been achieved in the past 2 years 
Indicators
As of 30 July 2007, the indicators were as follows: 
• A total of 66 Child Welfare Committees have been established (20 Committees over 
three years was targeted). 
• 3,848 CAFF and WAFF participated in recreational, psychosocial, and non-formal 
education activities organized by RWAC (3,000 over three years was the target). 
• Over the three years, a total of 760 community dialogue sessions focusing on 
HIV/AIDS, GBV, and substance abuse using the REFLECT methodology have been 
organized. This is not far from the 720 sessions targeted at EOP. 
• 486 cases of substance abuse and GBV were noted and referred to appropriate medical 
facilities in Monrovia or referred to other organizations that can provide them a higher 
level of care. The target was 20 cases per year. 
• 19 Civic Works Projects have been designed and implemented by CWCs with CAFF 
and WAFF, not far from the target of 20. 
Activities
• Provide needed psycho-social assistance via recreational, non-formal education 
activities for children and youth, community monitoring and follow up, and peer 
dialogues. 
RWAC successfully used the REFLECT methodology to facilitate the activities in its 
reintegration and reconciliation program. It is well known that REFLECT is an 
18
innovative approach to learning and social change which fuses the theories of Paulo 
Freire with the methodology of participatory rural appraisal. It gives participants the 
opportunity to discuss the causes of their problems and explore the solutions for day to 
day socio-economic, political, and cultural issues and also to uncover complicated 
social problems such as domestic violence, teen pregnancy and HIV/AIDS. All these 
are done through various actions such as recreational, psychosocial, and non-formal 
education activities. 
Although the planned activities worked well overall, RWAC encountered some 
problems such as: 
The WAFF were treated separately to the other women in the community and focusing 
on the younger women. This approach did not work well because at the community 
level there is no distinction between WAFF and other community women and WAFF 
have diverse age differences. 
• Raise awareness on issues related to the reintegration of these target groups and cross 
cutting issues such as substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, STDs and SGBV and develop 
community solutions for prevention. 
Using the REFLECT methodology, 760 community dialogue sessions were organized 
by RWAC. Because the prevention of HIV/AIDS is a priority topic throughout 
Liberia, especially in areas with high movement of population, RWAC’s efforts 
included community sensitization which aimed to increase knowledge on HIV/AIDS 
and erase misconceptions on methods of transmission and improving knowledge, 
availability and use of contraceptives such as condoms and hormonal pills. 
RWAC staff was well trained to deliver adequate messages and to make follow up on 
gender based violence reports. 
• Develop referral mechanisms and structures for those needing special care (victims of 
torture and sexual abuse, disabled, mentally ill, and substance abusers) 
RWAC performed very well because of its close partnership with the GBV program. 
All cases which need more thorough care were identified and reported to GBV staff 
for appropriate treatment. 
• Strengthen social support networks and build the capacity of existing support 
mechanisms and institutions, such as the CWCs. 
About the CWCs, RWAC put in place more than the target over the 3 years, but it is 
noted the absence of full support to run all the CWCs activities (stationeries, 
recreational, and sports materials). 
Objective 2 
For a variety of reasons, both external and internal, RWAC did not perform as well under the 
economic component. The initial major planned activities did not work well. In Year 3, 
RWAC staff refocused its work plan to also include agriculture under the vocational training 
program and significant gains were made. 
19
Indicators
As of 30 July 2007, the indicators were as follows: 
• It was planned that at the EOP, a total of 3,000 CAFF/WAFF (1500 in Year 2, and 
1500 in Year 2) will participate in the literacy and numeracy training. Only 1,755 
participated over the 3 years. 
• A total of 82 community teachers have been trained in the NRC Youth Pack 
methodology, far from the 150 community teachers targeted. CCF-Liberia shifted 
the training curriculum to match the GoL-approved Accelerated Learning 
methodology. Another 160 teachers were trained in conflict resolution in Year 3. 
• RWAC upgraded only 164 Artisan workshops but 200 artisans was the target. This 
illustrates RWAC problems with artisans who required fees before participating in 
workshops It must be noted here that CCF-Liberia skills training was competing 
with other NGOs operating in the region that gave fees for workshop participation. 
Also, staff claims that in some areas they encountered a lack of enough qualified 
artisans to participate in the project. 
• RWAC targeted a total of 3,000 participants who would be involved in skills 
training via mentoring and community workshops. Because of its difficulties in 
mobilizing participants, only 2,677 were obtained. 1743 participants completed one 
vocational skills training program (2,250 was the target over the 3 year program). 
• RWAC targeted to help 1,125 participants on skills training program to develop a 
business plan before the end of the program period, only for the same reasons listed 
above, only 811 participants developed a Business Plan. 
• At EOP, RWAC expected a total of 2,250 participants to be employed either with 
Artisans or self-employed, only 1,375 were realized. RWAC had a lot of difficulties 
finding ways to help trainees developing BP and strengthen a favourable 
environment of job creation. It may have been unrealistic to expect that large 
numbers of trainees could find a market for their trade skills in the post-conflict 
rural economy. 
• RWAC planned to provide appropriate credit for qualifying graduates (no targets 
given). At the EOP, no microcredit scheme was observed for qualifying graduates. 
Instead it is noted that in-kind raw materials were given to business skill trainee 
graduates. 
• CCF coordinated the RWAC program with other programs funded by UN agencies, 
and US DoS which were involved in economic integration programs. 
7. Cross-cutting Issues 
External - with other partners 
One key to the success of the social reintegration efforts has been CCF-Liberia's regular 
collaboration with various local and international partners in all four RWAC counties. CCF 
20
county offices are regular participants of the various monthly interagency working group and 
coordinating meetings and county-level coordination meetings in GBV, reintegration, and 
civic works. Over the grant period, the RWAC program also led or participated in a great 
many collaborative efforts to stage large-scale public events. 
Internal - linkages with other CCF-Liberia Programs 
RWAC recognized the necessity to be linked to the other CCF-Liberia programs if it wanted 
to succeed; some coordination was started in Year 3 with the SAFE program to provide GBV 
case management in the 4 counties. 
Also the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Program staff was instrumental in helping 
RWAC to complete its 19 community-driven public works projects, namely latrine blocks and 
water points. 
8. ADVOCACY 
Following on the achievement of facilitating the creation of some 62 Child Welfare 
Committees in the four counties, RWAC staff began working to facilitate the creation of 
elected district-level CWCs, as well as four elected county-level CWCs, providing 
transportation, encouragement, and stationery to members. 
9. Program Management 
Management Approach 
Evaluations of program staff have demonstrated that the RWAC program had well engaged 
and hardworking staff at the field level who have received various trainings during the 
program. However, RWAC experienced a frequent turn over of key staff such as the Program 
Manager. Each new PM tried to find his own way of resolving problems and achieving 
RWAC’s main goals. During focus groups meetings and after reviewing a lot of reports, it 
appears that with a minimum of strategic orientation and adequate supervision, RWAC could 
have fully achieved its overall goal. 
Financial Management 
Financially, RWAC was managed by the CCF Liberia Finance Controller, and based on CCF 
accounting procedures. Adequate financial control systems existed to manage RWAC funds. 
At the end of the program, 100% of the budget was spent and yearly CCF-Liberia sent a 
financial report to USAID through CCF,-HQ. As of June 30, 2006, a financial external audit 
was approved by HQ and executed by Ernst and Young. After reviewing all the program 
financial statements, and selecting 25 items/expenditures for testing, only one item had 
incomplete documentation. Appropriate recommendation was given to resolve that issue. 
10. Evaluation Methodology 
The evaluation was conducted to gather information about the impact of the RWAC program 
in the targeted communities. Field visits were done in 3 counties Bomi, Lofa and Bong, but 
because of transportation difficulties the evaluator was not able to visit Gbarpolu. The 
evaluator was aided by the CCF RWAC Program Manager and field staff in the target 
21
counties visited. The evaluation was a comparative and analytical exercise, “before and after”, 
containing a mix of evaluation methods such as:
¾ Surveys for comparing targets and EOP measures;
¾ Content analysis of management information, such as quarterly reports, previous 
evaluation reports, and meeting minutes;
¾ Results of precedent key informant interviews 
¾ Focus groups with beneficiaries and field staff
11. Reference Documents 
1. USAID / Christian Children’s Fund, Inc. (CCF, Inc.):Cooperative Agreement 
Document: 669-A-00-04-00056 
2. Report on RWAC dialogue conducted in Bong and Lofa counties from the 19th of 
March to the 23rd,2007 
3. Notes from focus group discussion in Bomi County during the Quarterly Review 
Meeting with 12 Liberian Reintegration Officers and CCF Social Workers who have 
lived among rural war-affected communities for 2.5 years, working to reintegrate 
young ex-combatants and revitalize war-affected communities generally with the goal 
of protecting vulnerable children (Date: 11 April 2007) 
4. A review of the RWAC and CEIP Project: A one day review of the program in both 
Bomi and Bong counties on Monday 3rd and Wednesday 5th July 2006 respectively. 
5. RWAC Program Manager’s Quarterly Report, April 2007 - June 2007 
6. RWAC close out plan 
7. RWAC base-line survey (Final Report- Dec 2005) 
8. CCF-Liberia Skills Training Report (March – June 2006) 
9. Project Proposal Submission, June 30, 2004, Submitted to: The United States Agency 
for International Development (USAID) in Ghana 
10. RWAC Agriculture Training Program 2007 Work Plan 
11. Kithinji Boore’s Report dated June 2006 “Integrating the Center, Small-Enterprise 
Revitalization for War Affected Communities in Liberia 
12. Guidelines for focus group discussions and interview with community leaders (baseline 
survey) 
22