By: Rufus Divine Brooks Jr
Vargueya Town, Grand Cape Mount County – In the wake of a devastating elephant attack that claimed two lives and left a community in fear, Women and Children Aid Liberia (WOCAL) has stepped in to provide critical support and education to the residents of Vargueya Town.
The non-profit organization launched a volunteer awareness campaign this week, under the theme “African Rainforest – Human Elephants Conflicts Management Around the Gola National Park,” aiming to equip the community with safety measures and promote coexistence.
However, the campaign is taking place against a backdrop of deep frustration, with locals decrying the perceived inaction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) since the tragic incident.
The brutal elephant attack, which occurred on November 6, 2023, in Mana Clan, Vargueya Town, sent shockwaves through the Gola Konneh District.
Beyond the immediate loss of lives and injury, the escalating conflict with elephants is severely impacting the community’s livelihoods.
Elephants have repeatedly encroached upon towns and villages, decimating vital crops like rice and cassava, exacerbating an already precarious food security situation in the region.
Farms, the primary source of sustenance and income for many residents, have been destroyed, deepening hunger and desperation.
In response to this crisis, WOCAL, an organization dedicated to empowering women and children through education, advocacy, and protection, mobilized its volunteers.
They have been distributing essential food and non-food items to victims, students, and affected farmers.
The volunteers are also actively engaging the community by distributing flyers and branded T-shirts, disseminating crucial information on how to avoid dangerous encounters with elephants and fostering a dialogue about peaceful human-wildlife coexistence.
During the awareness campaign in Grand Cape Mount County, Sekou V. Sheriff, Chief Executive Officer of WOCAL, highlighted the dire need for intervention.
“Despite the neglect from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Forestry Development Authority, who are responsible for conservation and managing these forests, and who have refused to act swiftly since the elephant attack on our citizens, we felt it was vital to carry out this awareness campaign,” Sheriff stated.
“We want to educate the citizens on what to do if they encounter elephants.”
Sheriff emphasized WOCAL’s commitment to aiding the residents of Vargueya Town, stating, “Our organization sees it as our duty to support these residents whose lives are being tragically cut short by wild animals, especially after the recent elephant attack.
We call on the government of Liberia for swift intervention, as the neglect by both the FDA and EPA is unacceptable.”
Madam Salamatue Fofana, the Town Chief of Vargueya Town displayed a mixture of fear and frustration, she reported that previous complaints to local authorities and government had thus far yielded no tangible action.
“We are appealing for immediate government intervention to prevent further loss of life and to secure our livelihoods, which depend heavily on farming,” she urged.
Chief Fofana also accused the Forestry Development Authority and the Environmental Protection Agency of neglect since the devastating incident in her town.
The situation in Vargueya Town underscores a critical gap in wildlife management and community support.
While WOCAL is providing immediate relief and educational resources, the community’s plea for decisive action from relevant government agencies like the FDA and EPA remains unanswered, leaving them vulnerable to the escalating threat of human-wildlife conflict.
