OIPA in Liberia

Who We Are

OIPA’s work in Liberia is carried out through its Country Representative, Robert K. Gboluma, Jr., founder of Youth Development Agency (YDA), an organisation engaged in public health, environmental justice, youth empowerment, human rights and community-based development.

Through OIPA Liberia, Robert works to promote animal welfare in a context where animal protection is still an emerging field and where long-term education, institutional cooperation and community engagement are essential.

OIPA Liberia’s work focuses on public awareness, responsible animal care, humane education, youth engagement, stakeholder dialogue, community outreach and the promotion of the One Health approach, recognising the strong connection between animal welfare, public health, environmental sustainability and community wellbeing.

Particular attention is given to communities where access to veterinary services remains limited, public awareness of animal welfare is still low and animals may be affected by neglect, harmful practices, lack of vaccination, abandonment and insufficient protection systems.

By combining grassroots education, youth mobilisation and collaboration with government institutions and civil society organisations, OIPA Liberia aims to build a stronger foundation for animal protection across the country

“Animal welfare is not only an ethical responsibility, but a fundamental component of environmental justice, public health and sustainable development.”

Robert K. Gboluma, Jr., OIPA Country Representative in Liberia

Our Mission in Liberia

OIPA’s mission in Liberia is to promote animal welfare through education, community engagement, responsible animal care, rabies prevention, youth involvement, institutional cooperation and advocacy for stronger animal protection systems.

Through the work of its Country Representative, OIPA Liberia aims to raise awareness about humane treatment, prevent animal cruelty, encourage responsible ownership and strengthen collaboration between communities, civil society and public institutions.

The work focuses on supporting communities in understanding the importance of animal welfare and its connection to public health, environmental responsibility and social progress.

Through school-based education, community awareness, stakeholder engagement and volunteer mobilisation, OIPA Liberia seeks to promote a culture of compassion and responsibility towards animals throughout the country.

Challenges and Our Response

Animal protection in Liberia remains an underdeveloped field and faces several structural and cultural challenges.

These include limited public awareness of responsible animal care, lack of affordable veterinary services in many areas, low vaccination coverage, growing stray animal populations in urban centres, weak enforcement of existing regulations and the absence of a comprehensive national animal protection framework.

In some communities, dogs and other animals may also be affected by harmful traditional practices, including their use in rituals or their killing for consumption. These practices, together with neglect, abandonment and limited access to veterinary care, expose animals to suffering and highlight the need for long-term education, dialogue and community engagement.

OIPA’s response in Liberia focuses on prevention, awareness and cooperation. By engaging communities, schools, youth volunteers, traditional leaders, government institutions and civil society organisations, OIPA Liberia works to promote humane treatment, discourage harmful practices and strengthen local responsibility for animal welfare.

The objective is to build a coordinated national animal welfare network capable of supporting outreach, reporting, education and future veterinary initiatives, while encouraging a culture of compassion, respect and responsible care for animals.

Main Areas of Activity

School Animal Welfare Education

OIPA Liberia recognises the importance of educating children and young people as a foundation for long-term change.

School-based animal welfare education aims to foster empathy, responsibility and respect for animals from an early age. By engaging students, teachers and school communities, OIPA Liberia seeks to promote humane values and encourage safer, more compassionate relationships between children and animals.

Future activities will focus on expanding school animal welfare education programmes, integrating humane education into school and community initiatives, and encouraging young people to become advocates for animals within their own communities.

Youth Engagement and Volunteer Mobilisation

Youth engagement is a central part of OIPA Liberia’s approach.

Through his work with Youth Development Agency, Robert K. Gboluma, Jr. has long promoted the role of young people as agents of change in community development, public health and social progress.

Within OIPA Liberia, this experience is being applied to animal welfare by engaging youth volunteers in awareness, outreach, reporting and community education.

Efforts are underway to establish a structured national network of animal welfare volunteers across different counties, with the aim of strengthening local outreach and supporting a more coordinated response to animal protection needs.

Stakeholder Engagement and Institutional Cooperation

OIPA Liberia works to strengthen cooperation with government institutions, civil society organisations, community leaders and other local stakeholders.

During its first reporting period, OIPA Liberia engaged with the Ministry of Agriculture county office, Youth Bridge and community leaders to promote collaboration on animal welfare initiatives and future programming.

This type of institutional dialogue is essential to build recognition of animal welfare as a public concern connected to health, environment, community wellbeing and sustainable development.

Through continued engagement, OIPA Liberia aims to strengthen collaboration between civil society and public authorities and support the development of more effective animal welfare responses.

Responsible Animal Care and Community Monitoring

OIPA Liberia promotes responsible animal care through awareness, dialogue and community-based monitoring.

This includes encouraging communities to recognise and report animal abuse, discouraging harmful practices and supporting more humane treatment of animals in homes, farms and public spaces.

Community-based monitoring can play an important role in identifying cases of cruelty, neglect or abuse and in encouraging local responsibility for animal protection.

By involving community members directly, OIPA Liberia aims to make animal welfare a shared responsibility rather than an isolated concern.

Rabies Prevention, Veterinary Outreach and One Health

Animal welfare is closely connected to public health, environmental sustainability and community wellbeing.

In Liberia, low vaccination coverage and limited access to veterinary services, especially outside major urban areas, represent important challenges for both animals and communities. These gaps can increase the risk of preventable diseases, limit access to basic animal health support and make it more difficult to promote responsible animal care.

OIPA Liberia aims to support sustainable rabies prevention, vaccination initiatives and accessible veterinary outreach programmes in underserved areas. These activities are designed to protect animals from preventable diseases while also contributing to safer and healthier communities.

Through a One Health approach, OIPA Liberia recognises that the health of animals, people and the environment are deeply interconnected. Responsible animal care, vaccination, disease prevention, environmental cleanliness and humane treatment all contribute to more resilient communities.

Planned future interventions include community animal health outreach, veterinary outreach activities and community clean-up campaigns connected to the One Health approach, helping local communities understand the relationship between animal welfare, public health and environmental responsibility.

Future Goals and Impact

Looking ahead, OIPA Liberia aims to expand its activities during the second half of 2026 and strengthen its role as a national platform for animal welfare education, advocacy and coordination.

Planned priorities include rural animal welfare awareness campaigns, school animal welfare education programmes, community animal health outreach, veterinary outreach activities, volunteer recruitment and training, resource mobilisation and fundraising initiatives.

OIPA Liberia also plans to support activities connected to World Animal Day and community clean-up campaigns promoting the One Health approach.

A major long-term objective is to build a coordinated national animal welfare network across different counties, strengthening outreach, reporting, education and community-based action.

In addition, OIPA Liberia is working to develop field-based programmes for veterinary students and young animal health professionals interested in gaining practical experience in animal welfare, community outreach and veterinary support. The initiative aims to create opportunities for students to work alongside local veterinarians, community leaders and OIPA Liberia’s team in underserved areas, contributing to animal health activities while learning about the local animal welfare context.

These programmes are intended to combine practical veterinary support with community engagement, including awareness activities, basic animal health outreach, responsible ownership education, rabies prevention and future vaccination initiatives. By involving veterinary students directly in field activities, OIPA Liberia seeks to strengthen local animal welfare capacity, support communities with limited access to veterinary services and encourage a new generation of professionals to approach animal health through compassion, prevention and the One Health perspective.