Context:

The Western African Ebola virus epidemic (2013–2016) was the most widespread outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in history—causing major loss of life and socioeconomic disruption in the region, mainly in the countries of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The first cases were recorded in Guinea in December 2013; later, the disease spread to neighboring Liberia and Sierra Leone, with minor outbreaks occurring elsewhere. It caused significant mortality, with the case fatality rate reported which was initially considerable, while the rate among hospitalized patients was 57–59%, the final numbers 28,616 people, including 11,310 deaths, for a case-fatality rate of 40%. 

The intervention

In response to the Ebola outbreak in 2014, VOSIEDA collaborated with Mercy Corps to implement the he Ebola Community Action Platform (ECAP) in Sinoe, Southeast Liberia. Funded by the United States Agency for International development, the project was an emergency program to help Liberian communities protect themselves and access care.

To ensure that information disseminated by ECAP reflected and responded to a real-time understanding of developments on the ground, the program partnered with more than 79 community organizations, which assembled more than 800 community mobilizers for the program. Mercy Corps provided mobilizers with smartphones and technical training so they could disseminate lifesaving information and collect real-time data at the community level.

Key facts

Sector: Media and Civil Society Strengthening
Domain: Fragile state and Pubic Health
Benefiting zone: Liberia
Nature:  Action grant
Duration: 2015
Status: completed