About Us
WE ARE KLF IMPACT INTERNATIONAL
KL Foundation Impact International – a humanitarian Organization working with poor communities in Liberia, addressing needs associated with poverty, under-development and social injustice. Originally known as Kingdom Love Foundation for Children Welfare and Development— is now called KL Foundation Impact International because its mission was reshaped to address the need of larger community in Liberia.
The Organization was founded by George Z. Deemie when he was overwhelmed by the sight of death and extreme poverty among refugees returning to Liberia in the late 90s during the first round of the Liberian Civil Unrest. In Late 1990s, George set up relief efforts in a remote area in northern Liberia (Nimba County). Next he raised funds from USAID-LCIP, Africare and UNDP Liberia to further advance the organization.
George’s passion for humanity ultimately led him and KL Foundation team to deal with the long-term task of improving health and living conditions of the rural poor in northern Liberia. Today, KLF Impact International is incorporated and registered in the United States of America as a charity Organization with emphasis on women and children.
Our History
Demography
The last population census of Liberia was conducted in 1984. Since then, the Ministry of Planning & Economic Affairs has updated its population projections. Its 2006 population estimate is 3.2 million, with a growth rate of 2.4%. Population density is 84 per square mile. Population distribution is very uneven, with four counties hosting 70% of the total population. The South-East is very sparsely settled. The age group 0 -18 years accounts for about 54% of the population.
Nearly 15% are under 5 years of age while approximately 3% of the population is over the age of 65. Average life expectancy at birth is estimated by WHO (2006) at 42 years, with 44 years for women and 39 years for me n. The current fertility rate is estimated to be 6.8 (DHS, 1999). Three out of every four women age 20 -24 years have had a child. The use of modern family planning methods among women is 11.3%. The average household size is 5.1.
Mortality and Morbidity
The infant mortality rate is currently estimated to be 157/1,000 live births –well above the Sub -Saharan Africa average of 102/1000 live births and the world average of 54.2 The under five/child mortality rate is also high, at 235/1,000 live births. Liberia ranks above the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 171/1,000 live births and the world average of 79/1,000.
In 2005, the maternal mortality ratio was estimated by UNFPA at 580/100,000 live births. The crude mortality rate was recently estimated in rural are as at the alarming level of 1.1 deaths per 10,000 persons per day (CFSNS, 2006).
Malaria, acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, tuberculosis, sexually -transmitted diseases (STDs), worms, skin diseases, malnutrition, and anemia are the most common causes of ill health. Malaria accounts for over 40% of OPD attendance and up to 18% per cent of inpatient deaths. Diarrhea diseases in Liberia are the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality HIV prevalence rate estimates vary widely, but the the Interim poverty Reduction Strategy (iPRS) suggests a figure of 5.2%. All agree, however, that HIV/AIDS is a problem of mounting severity. Existing data are inadequate to draw firm conclusions about internal variations in HIV prevalence. It appears that Monrovia and the south -eastern region have higher HIV prevalence rates than the rest of the country.
Nutrition
Approximately 27% of children under-five years are underweight. In addition, an estimated 7% are wasted, while 39% are stunted (CFSNS, 2015). These values are remarkably similar to those registered by the National Nutrition Survey of 2000. In the same year, iron deficiency anemia was 87% in children 6 -35 months, 58% in non -pregnant women 14-49 years, and 62% in pregnant 1 28 women aged 14 – 49 years. 4 Vitamin A deficiency affects 52.9% of children 6 -35 months and 12% of pregnant women. Only 35% of children below 6 months of age are exclusively breast -fed (UNICEF, 2015). Zinc supplementation for children has not yet been introduced.
Water and Sanitation
Access to safe water declined from 58% of households in 1997 to 24% in 2009, due to the destruction of piped water facilities in urban settings (UNDP, 2010). Nationwide, 26% of households have access to sanitation but significant rural/urban disparities exist –with sanitation available to 49% of urban residents and only 7% of rural residents (UNICEF, 2010). However, the problem of poor sanitation is particularly acute in cities. The collapse of waste disposal and sewage services and an increase in population have led to extremely poor sanitary conditions in urban areas -especially in Monrovia -generating serious environmental and health problems.
Access to Health Care
Liberia’s health services have been severely disrupted by conflict. Health workers fled to camps from internally -displaced people (IDPs), to secure areas or to neighboring countries. Health facilities were looted and vandalized and medical supplies became unavailable. Government funding stopped and health services collapsed (UNDP, 2010). Following the end of the war, the revitalization of the health services has begun, but the health situation is still poor. The dearth of accurate data on health service access and utilization makes most considerations in this respect only tentative. Available estimates are grossly divergent, suggesting that overall they are unreliable. The Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy (iPRS, 2006) reports that 41% of the population has access to health services. Most data suggest low service consumption and gross imbalances across Liberia. The last EPI survey carried out in 2004 found that less than one third of children received a DPT-3 shot. EPI reporting has since shown improvements with DPT-3 at 87% and Measles at 94% (WHO immunization monitoring 2005).
Health Care Delivery and Resources
Health care delivery is fragmented and uneven, heavily dependent on donor -funded vertical programs and international NGOs. Disease prevention and control programs exist for malaria, leprosy, tuberculosis, STDs/HIV/AIDS, and onchocerciasis. Humanitarian relief agencies concentrated their interventions in the most war -affected areas and where refugees and IDPs were resettling. Many health care providers including Community Health Workers are funded by emergency programs, which are being withdrawn as the country stabilizes. The gap created by the reduction in funding for emergency assistance, before development aid starts flowing, has the potential to disrupt health care provision, as witnessed in other post conflict settings.
Health Facilities
In 1990 there were 30 Hospitals, 50 Health Canters and 330 Clinics functional.
In 2006, 18 hospitals, 50 health centers and close to 286 health clinics were considered to be functional (RAR, 2006). Many of these facilities struggle to attain acceptable performance levels,and are in need of robust infrastructural interventions to become truly functional and respecting referral functions. The hospital component of the health sector is under -sized. Its technical capacity is grossly inadequate. Large investments are needed to restore the functionality of the health system.
Liberia is still recovering from the effects of a 14-year civil war that ended in 2003, leaving it a fragile state and the the poorest country on earth.. In 2010, GDP per capital was US$400, and more than 80 per cent of Liberians were surviving on less than US$1.25 per day. Three quarters of the poor live in rural areas. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations classifies Liberia as a low-income, food-deficit country, reporting that about half of the population is food-insecure or highly vulnerable to food insecurity 80% of the population lives below the poverty line, 14% of Liberia suffer severe poverty- defined as the population living on less than U.S.D$0.50 per day. Liberia Human Poverty index (HPI) rating of 53:/ indicates that more than half of Liberian has a low standard of living. The illiteracy rate is staggering 63% with 73% of women being illiterate, compared to 50% of man. Programs to address the sustainable development need of especially women and youth are very limited in Liberia.
Vision
Environment free from all forms of exploitation and discrimination where everyone has the opportunity to realize their potential.
Mission
To empower people and communities in situations of poverty, illiteracy, disease and social injustice with emphasis on women and children.