Monrovia – The Liberia Association of Psycho-social Services (LAPS) has received one Suzuki Motor cycle from SOS Children’s Villages Liberia. The donation is part of SOS Liberia efforts to strengthen the capacity of community-based organizations and other local partners.

Speaking at the turning over ceremony at the new Care Professionals Training Center in Monrovia, the SOS Liberia National Director Mr. Augustine A. Allieu said the motorcycle is intended to help enhance the work of LAPS, mainly as it relates to the ingoing partnership that SOS Liberia and LAPS have. It will be recalled that SOS Liberia and LAPS entered into partnership in 2018, under which LAPS is to: 1) provide psychosocial training to the SOS caregivers; 2) monitor and support all of the psychosocial needs of the programmes of SOS Liberia; and 3) provide any psychosocial / psychological support to specific cases that require such support.

“We are confident that this donation will help to accelerate the rate at which LAPS would provide psycho-social and related services to our programme participants – both CV and FSP,” added ND Allieu. 

The ND indicated that one of the recommendations from the last Rapid Assessment of Programmes (RAP) calls for SOS Liberia to work more with other partners – particularly local partners, hence, SOS Liberia is glad to work with LAPS and other partners, and he hopes that the donated motorcycle will boost the initiative, and undoubtedly help to alleviate the transportation burden for the local partner. Additionally, the SOS Children’s Villages Care Promise #9 also calls for working in partnerships, specifically stating that “we partner for supporting services and advocate for quality care”, the ND noted.

Receiving the donation, the Executive Director of LAPS Mr. Seidu Swaray thanked the SOS Children’s Villages Liberia for the significant contributions to his organization. Mr. Swaray said the donation from SOS Liberia will contribute greatly to LAPS operations, especially reducing the transportation burden, adding that the issue of transportation is a serious challenge to the LAPS operations. The LAPS Executive Director noted that “we are thankful for the partnership between SOS Liberia and LAPS and we promise that this donation will be use for the intended purpose”.

SOS Liberia and LAPS are working closely to provide services to children. SOS Liberia and LAPS signed an agreement in August 2018 for LAPS to provide psycho-social and related services to participants of its programme. The agreement cover SOS Liberia Family Base Care (FBC), Family Strengthening Programme (FSP) as well as Youth Empowerment Programme (YEP).

LAPS is an experienced and professional in psycho-social related services. SOS children’s Villages promote family strengthening and strong gatekeeping and to ensure the best care option for every child, hereby creating a safe environment for children in all of her programme.