Liberian Flag

Liberian flag

The Capitol

Capitol-Building housing liberiann lawmakers.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Monrovia, Liberia, on Thursday, January 18, 2007, Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf - first elected Female head of state in Africa, at her home in Monrovia. Assignment Images - Embargoed for Focus - Park Avenue)

Monrovia, Liberia 2003

British television actor and Oxfam representative Jamie Theakston shows weapons captured from child soldiers at a UN Depot. (photo by: Richard Smith/Corbis)

Liberian Refugees Returning Home

After living for years in camps in neighbouring Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast. One of the worlds poorest countries awaits them

Liberian Refugee Child

By some estimates almost half of Liberia's three million people were displaced by fighting over the course of the civil war

Sulima, Sierra Leone - March 19, 2007

Because of the lack of electricity and refridgeration facilities most of the fish is smoke dried by the women of the village on the liberian border and then sold in markets as far off as Monrovia.

Sinje, Sierra Leone - March 8, 2007.

Young girl carrying wood on her head.

Monrovia, Liberia - Aug 6, 2003

Monrovian streets are littered with empty bullet casings, from weeks of constant fighting.(photo by: Jehad Nga/Corbis )

UN Peace Keepers in MOnrovia - February 8, 2007

All female Peacekeeping police force from India are part of the UN's Form Police Unit which provides backup on patrol for local unarmed Liberian National Police.

Abandoned Buildings in Monrovia, Liberia.

Most buildings are empty as Liberians believe that they are haunted by the people who were killed during the war.

Displaced Residence in Monrovia, Liberia

Building inhabited by displaced liberians.

The Docur Hotel

Once the pride of the city, but today it is used as a semi organized temporary residence for hundreds of internally displaced people

Palm Grove CemetEry in Monrovia, Liberia - April 10 2007

Currently the grave yard is used as public toilet, a garbage dump as well as a known haven for drug dealers and criminals. The Ministery of Public Works in Liberia is planning to commence a three month project to build a wall around it.(photo by : Christopher Herwig)

Palm Grove CemetErY in Monrovia, Liberia - April 10 2007

Grave digger Alfred Hanson has been working at the Palm Grove Cemetary for 12 years.(photo by : Christopher Herwig )

Garbage Dump in Monrovia, Liberia

A little boy made his way out into the dump to go to the bathroom. He apparently likes going there opposed to the public out houses.

Pollution in Monrovia, Liberia

View of Monrovia: Heavy pollution and poor housing conditions still plaque the underdeveloped capital as it recovers from years of civilwar

Street in the Capital City of Monrovia

The results of the war is visible anywhere in Liberia. The capital Monrovia, is in bad shape, with no electricity or running water for a decade. Things are hopefully about to change

Monrovia, Liberia - January 16, 2007

Young onlookerlistens during the ceremony of the one year anniversary of Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf coming to power

Benson Street in Monrovia, Liberia

Looking down from the Masonic temple.

Downtown Monrovia

Cell phone towers erected in the city

Fish Sellers

Women in Liberia selling fish to help support their families.

Wheel Barrow Workers

Wheel barrow workers in Monrovia can be found thoughout the city in the thousandsMany belong to one of the unions, the most popular being NAWOUL - NAtional Wheelbarrow Operators Union of Liberia.

Wheel Barrow Boys: Joshua & Lujeh

Wheelbarrow boys are divided in two main groups - those selling products from the wheel barrow like food, clothing, household goods, and music, while another group with those hired for transporting items.

Cassett Boy: Eric Siakor,age 20

Many of the wheelbarrow boys are ex combatants from the long and brutal civil war. For most wheelbarrow boys, the money earned is barely enough to survive on.

Monrovia, Liberia - March 2008

During the 14-year civil war all infrastructure in Monrovia, Liberia West Africa was destroyed. This is how people in this capital city get their water.

Wheelbarrow Man: Francis Doe 52, Father of 6 kids

It costs $1500 LD to buy a Wheelbarrow, $25 LD a day to rent one, sometimes lucky make 200LD (approx. 3.30 US) in a day.(photo by: Christopher Herwig)

Ashmun street in Monrovia, Liberia

One of the oldest in Monrovia. It is a busy city center for commerce and trade.

Monrovia, Liberia

View of downtown Monrivia from "My Hotel".

Monrovia, Liberia-February 8, 2007

Former Army and Police Officers demanding the President make payments for the years they were not paid under the Taylor regime. The protest ended in violence with tear gas being fired on the crowd. (photo by: Christopher Herwig)

Monrovia, Liberia - November 30, 2007:

Billboard on Tubman Boulevard in Monrovia trying to reduce the large percentage of rapes in the country. (photo by: Christopher Herwig)

Monrovia, Liberia - March 2 2007: Jerome Tokpah 18 years old

Football game between a team of visually impaired in blue and physically handicapped. Thousands pack the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia.

Gurley Street, Monrovia, Liberia

Children playing football in the rain.(photo by: Christopher Herwig

Daniel Hoover Children's Village-Monrovia, Liberia

Photo from Daniel Hoover Children's Village, run by African Christians Fellowship International (ACFI) in Dixville, which is just outside of Monrovia

Daniel Hoover Children's Village-Monrovia, Liberia

There are roughly 450-500 children living at the mission home. Some orphans, some children have living parent(s) who are simply too poor to take care them.

Voinjama, Lofa Country, Liberia

18 year old Sonie Jallah, now with 1 year old child, cooked for the fighters but now works at the Tenebu Poultry Project, January 22, 2007

Liberia, 2006

Children at school in the countryside in Liberia. Resources are scarse, and the equipment at school often consists of a blackboard and provisorically crafted desks

Liberia, 2006

Schools are in pretty bad shape on the countryside of Liberia, but most children are given the opportunity to attend school.

Totota, Liberia - March 14,2007

Wednesday is market day in the town of Totota, located on the main 3 hours northeast of the Liberian capital of Monrovia.(photo by: Christopher Herwig)

Monrovia, Liberia - January 22, 2007

Classroom in Voinjama, Lofa County, Liberia

Basket Weaver

SINJE, LIBERIA - MARCH 8, 2007. Woman weaving a basket

Grand Bassa County, Liberia - November 15,2007

Men clearing a field from planting.(photo by: Christopher Herwig)

Grand Bassa County, Liberia - November 15,2007

Swampy rice farm. (photo by: Christopher Herwig)

Grand Bassa County, Liberia - November 15,2007

Rice field being harvested.

Grand Bassa County, Liberia - November 15,2007

Rice being pounded. (photo by: Christopher Herwig)

Grand Bassa County, Liberia - November 15,2007

Pineapple(photo by: Christopher Herwig)

Monrovia, Liberia - February 9 2007

Portrait of a young african boy with wild spiky hair. (photo by: Christopher Herwig

Kids in Monrovia, Liberia

Photo of two Liberian boys eagerly wanting a picture of themselves

Monrovia, Liberia - January 2007

Little girls dressed in local dance custom.(photo by: Christopher Herwig )

Tribal Dancers

Monrovia, Liberia tribal dancers performing their different regional dances

Monrovia, Liberia - May 26, 2007

Fashion show in Monrovia organized by Kasava designs.

Football in Monrovia (Reuters)

SLiberia clinched a 3-2 victory over Rwanda in Sunday's African Nations Cup Group Five qualifier despite a rash of missed chances and a spirited late fightback by the visitors.

Monrovia, Liberia

The making of Liberian bricks.

Lamco Mining Site in the Nimba Mountains

The UNESCO heritage site were no environmental and social safeguards were being enforced during active mining

Guthrie Rubber Plantation - August 15, 2006

Liberia's government and armed U.N. peacekeepers on Tuesday repossessed a rubber plantation from former rebel squatters in a move to restore economic assets wrecked by civil war.

Marshal, Liberia - April 10, 2008

The tiny island is home to dozens of chimpanzees put there decades ago after being used for various infectious disease testing. (photo by: Christopher Herwig)

Beach in Robertsport

The beaches around Robertsport are regarded as some of the best in Liberia, along with world class surfing oportunities.(photo by: Christopher Herwig)

Liberia - July 2007

Aerial view of Liberia from a United Nations helicopter enroute from the capital Monrovia to the coastal city of Greenville in Sinoe County. (photo by: Christopher Herwig)

Robertsport, Liberia - June 2007

During World War Two the quiet seaside town was used as a US submarine base. (photo by: Christopher Herwig)

Surfer in Robertsport

A Surfer riding the wave at one of the beaches in Robertsport.

Le Fin!