Saclepea
Encyclopedia
Located in the heart of Nimba County
, Liberia
, Saclepea (sometimes spelled “saglepie” on world maps) was a town of more than 12,000 citizens in 2008 and now has an estimated population around 17,000. Saclepeans are predominately from the native Mah tribe, and they speak the Mano dialect. During Liberia’s civil war, Saclepea was a primary recruiting and training area for child soldiers, many of whom still reside in the city. Now, Saclepea hosts one of Liberia’s regional offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. A camp for refugees from the neighboring country of Côte d’Ivoire is situated on the outskirts of town.
in northeastern Liberia
. It is approximately 45 kilometers from Ganta
, Liberia’s second-largest city. Driving distance from Saclepea to the capital city, Monrovia
, is approximately 375 kilometers.
. Every Tuesday, people from all over Nimba County
and surrounding counties pour into Saclepea to participate as vendors or customers in Saclepea’s market.
Local industries include:
+Saclepea has a very active Women’s Center whose mission is to increase awareness of and decrease instances of gender-based violence. Founded in 2008 by Saclepea native Theresa Monmia, the Saclepea Women’s Center owns a large rice farm and offers employment in planting, cultivating, harvesting, and preparing rice to encourage women’s economic independence.
An adult literacy program, started in 2010 by a local teacher, has graduated two 6-month classes of approximately 15 students.
For Saclepean students, educational opportunities are expanding. In 2010, Saclepea hosted the first in a series of teacher training initiatives, funded by U.S. non-profit West Africa Crossroads Corporation (WACC), and organized and administered by local Saclepean educators. In January 2011, WACC helped locals open the Saclepea Community Computer Center on the campus of Johnny Voker High School. By day, the computers are used by students, and in the evenings, the Center functions as Saclepea’s first public internet café.
, about 45 km away.
In response to war-torn families, low life expectancy, and high rates of death during childbirth, Saclepea has two relatively large orphanages. Both orphanages were founded by and are managed by Saclepean women. Both operate schools, generating some revenue from tuition. They also receive financial support from international sponsors and NGOs (e.g. Christian Aid
).
Malaria
is still a major health concern. Although treated mosquito nets are widely available, they are very hot to sleep under and are not used consistently. Malaria treatment is available at the larger clinics, but many children and elderly die because they are not taken to the clinic early enough. Tuberculosis
and Lassa fever
are also common.
is the dominant religion practiced among Saclepeans, but the city is also home to a significant Muslim
community and to some native spirituality, such as witchcraft and animism
. Many religious buildings and congregations, representing a plethora of Christian denominations, are located throughout Saclepea. Numerous churches and para-church organizations offer courses and certificates in theology, pastoral studies, and other Christian topics. Several Bible colleges and seminaries are in the general area. Churches are typically engaged in benevolent activities including education, care of orphans and widows, healthcare, and economic empowerment.
Nimba County
Ganta
West Africa Crossroads Corporation
Nimba County
Nimba is a county in the north-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has six districts. Sanniquellie serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring , the largest in the nation...
, Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, Saclepea (sometimes spelled “saglepie” on world maps) was a town of more than 12,000 citizens in 2008 and now has an estimated population around 17,000. Saclepeans are predominately from the native Mah tribe, and they speak the Mano dialect. During Liberia’s civil war, Saclepea was a primary recruiting and training area for child soldiers, many of whom still reside in the city. Now, Saclepea hosts one of Liberia’s regional offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. A camp for refugees from the neighboring country of Côte d’Ivoire is situated on the outskirts of town.
Location
Saclepea is near the geographic center of Nimba CountyNimba County
Nimba is a county in the north-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has six districts. Sanniquellie serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring , the largest in the nation...
in northeastern Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. It is approximately 45 kilometers from Ganta
Ganta
Ganta, also known as Gompa City, is a town in Nimba County of northern Liberia, lying just south of the Guinean border. It is the second largest city in Liberia, with a population of 41,106....
, Liberia’s second-largest city. Driving distance from Saclepea to the capital city, Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
, is approximately 375 kilometers.
Climate
Saclepea experiences two seasons: rainy and dry. Rainy season generally lasts from May through September, and the rest of the year is dry, hot, and dusty, with average daytime temperatures in the nineties Fahrenheit (32-37°C). Even during the dry season, nights can be very cool, with lows sometimes in the fifties Fahrenheit (10-15°C).Economy
Saclepea’s retail economy is driven by its weekly market, the largest outdoor market in LiberiaLiberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. Every Tuesday, people from all over Nimba County
Nimba County
Nimba is a county in the north-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has six districts. Sanniquellie serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring , the largest in the nation...
and surrounding counties pour into Saclepea to participate as vendors or customers in Saclepea’s market.
Local industries include:
- Farming – mostly subsistence, but large operations are growing with support from NGOs (e.g. World Food Program, Adventist Development and Relief Agency), Saclepea’s Women's Center+, local churches, federal government, and Liberia’s Cooperative Development Agency (CDA)
- Transportation – Taxi providers (car and motorcycle) are unionized but without standardization. Taxis are available for local or long-distance travel, but they are often unreliable due to vehicle and roadway maintenance issues.
- Food preparation – mostly roadside stands. A few spartan restaurants exist in central district. There is one bakery.
- Business centers – many small shops that sell cell phones and phone cards and provide related services such as phone charging, powered by small generators.
- Other small retail – In addition to weekly market retail, Saclepea has many, small free-standing and roadside stand retail shops. Items sold by these shops include phone cards, cassette tapes/CDs, cigarettes, candy/snack foods, mattresses, floor laminate, etc.
- Construction – commercial and individual furniture. There are approximately 20 carpenters in the city of Saclepea. Stymied by the lack of power tools and the inability to obtain a loan to purchase them, many of them are seeking to form cooperatives in order to add strength to their borrowing power.
- Building materials
- Artists – very little activity; no tourism, so no sales of souvenirs. Two local artists design and print t-shirts, mostly commercial art. A few musicians, although all music recording, production and distribution is done in Monrovia. A couple of small shops for video, photography, and photo processing produce portraits and are hired by journalists, sports teams, law enforcement, etc., for photo documentation. Digital photography is becoming more prevalent.
- Journalism – two radio stations (Radio Saclepea and Radio Ylamba), one nascent news periodical (KOMA NIMBA).
- Tailoring – large and well organized, with eight tailoring shops in Saclepea. Has a city union president. Offers apprenticeships.
- Finance – although no banks currently exist in Saclepea (at this writing, EcoBank is considering opening a branch there) there are several Savings & Credit institutes which offer savings accounts and small loans.
+Saclepea has a very active Women’s Center whose mission is to increase awareness of and decrease instances of gender-based violence. Founded in 2008 by Saclepea native Theresa Monmia, the Saclepea Women’s Center owns a large rice farm and offers employment in planting, cultivating, harvesting, and preparing rice to encourage women’s economic independence.
Education
Saclepea has fourteen primary/secondary schools: one government school (Johnny Voker Elementary/High School, grades K-12); one government school for Ivoirian refugee children (K-6); and twelve private, tuition-funded schools (five K-12, one K-11, one K-9, five K-6). Government funds lowest grades, even at some of the private schools. To graduate 6th, 9th, and 12th grades, all students must pass exams administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). Due to the shortage of certified teachers, many classrooms are taught by “recruited” teachers – uncertified, unpaid men and women who are working on their certification.An adult literacy program, started in 2010 by a local teacher, has graduated two 6-month classes of approximately 15 students.
For Saclepean students, educational opportunities are expanding. In 2010, Saclepea hosted the first in a series of teacher training initiatives, funded by U.S. non-profit West Africa Crossroads Corporation (WACC), and organized and administered by local Saclepean educators. In January 2011, WACC helped locals open the Saclepea Community Computer Center on the campus of Johnny Voker High School. By day, the computers are used by students, and in the evenings, the Center functions as Saclepea’s first public internet café.
Healthcare
Saclepea has multiple clinics but no hospital. The one government clinic, the Saclepea Comprehensive Health Center, has both in-patient and out-patient facilities and charges no fees. Smaller clinics are run as private, fee-funded practices by local churches or Liberian individuals and are attended by a Physician’s Assistant. There are currently no x-ray machines in Saclepea, so patients with broken bones are sent to the nearest hospital, which is in GantaGanta
Ganta, also known as Gompa City, is a town in Nimba County of northern Liberia, lying just south of the Guinean border. It is the second largest city in Liberia, with a population of 41,106....
, about 45 km away.
In response to war-torn families, low life expectancy, and high rates of death during childbirth, Saclepea has two relatively large orphanages. Both orphanages were founded by and are managed by Saclepean women. Both operate schools, generating some revenue from tuition. They also receive financial support from international sponsors and NGOs (e.g. Christian Aid
Christian Aid
Christian Aid is the official relief and development agency of 40 British and Irish churches and works to support sustainable development, alleviate poverty, support civil society and provide disaster relief in South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia...
).
Malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
is still a major health concern. Although treated mosquito nets are widely available, they are very hot to sleep under and are not used consistently. Malaria treatment is available at the larger clinics, but many children and elderly die because they are not taken to the clinic early enough. Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and Lassa fever
Lassa fever
Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus and first described in 1969 in the town of Lassa, in Borno State, Nigeria, in the Yedseram river valley at the south end of Lake Chad. Clinical cases of the disease had been known for over a decade but had not been connected...
are also common.
Religion
ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
is the dominant religion practiced among Saclepeans, but the city is also home to a significant Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
community and to some native spirituality, such as witchcraft and animism
Animism
Animism refers to the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle....
. Many religious buildings and congregations, representing a plethora of Christian denominations, are located throughout Saclepea. Numerous churches and para-church organizations offer courses and certificates in theology, pastoral studies, and other Christian topics. Several Bible colleges and seminaries are in the general area. Churches are typically engaged in benevolent activities including education, care of orphans and widows, healthcare, and economic empowerment.
Wiki Links
LiberiaLiberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
Nimba County
Nimba County
Nimba is a county in the north-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has six districts. Sanniquellie serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring , the largest in the nation...
Ganta
Ganta
Ganta, also known as Gompa City, is a town in Nimba County of northern Liberia, lying just south of the Guinean border. It is the second largest city in Liberia, with a population of 41,106....
West Africa Crossroads Corporation