Continuing his visit to Western Africa,Saim makes a stop this week in Liberia, a country still suffering from the effects of a civil war that ended in 2003. Concentrating his time in the capital city of Monrovia, he explores the many ways the locals have adapted to the hard ships brought on from years of violence and unrest. Originally settled by freed slaves from America, the country’s name translates to “Land of Freedom,” and it’s freedom that today’s Liberians are working hard to regain. From the lack of electricity and running water to a high rate of unemployment and as- of- yet un-repaired damage from the war, the Liberian people have had to become resourceful in carrying out their daily tasks. You’ll meet a veteran who lost his leg in the conflict and as a result is unable to work, a man who makes his living charging other people’s cell phones with a small generator, and another who exchanges currency and sells cell phone minutes from a locked box on the street. The segment ends with a visit to a private Turkish run school that reinforces the country’s hope that education is the key to restoration and rebirth. Come explore Liberia this week on “Ayna.”
