Humanitarian airlifts and financial support by members of the global alliance, Action by Churches Together (ACT) International have in some way helped alleviate the plight of the people caught up in the recent fighting in Liberia. A fragile truce agreed to at the end of June saw to it that much-needed relief items could be flown to the capital, Monrovia.

ACT member Lutheran World Federation World Service (LWF-WS) reports that although life is slowly returning to normal in Monrovia, tens of thousands of displaced people are still in the city, most of them too afraid to return to the camps that they had fled in fear earlier this year. There are still armed groups roaming the city. Water and sanitation remains a serious problem.

$50,000 has been provided from the ACT Rapid Response Fund, and a a recent airlift of relief items (plastic sheeting, BP5 high protein biscuits, clothing and blankets) by ACT member Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) has been distributed amongst 4,000 people who had sought shelter close to the U.S. embassy in the city and amongst 3,000 people at another location (Soul Clinic). Distribution of relief items to people who are living in the SKD Sport Stadium as well as Grey Stone is to take place this week still. In total about 16,000 persons (45 percent women, 20 percent men and 35 percent children) will receive the latest shipment of relief items. Vulnerable persons and families such as the elderly, people with disabilities and teen mother heads of households receive aid first. "Additionally, the tarpaulins and plastic sheeting are being used to refurbish refuge structures to protect against rain and water leakage and for construction of temporary bath facilities."

Another airlift is expected soon from ACT member Lutheran World Relief (in all, six containers of relief items). Church World Service, has responded by sending two shipments of relief items one in April and one in June.