Liberty Children’s Home Spruced Up Thanks to British High Commission
Liberty Children’s Home in Ladyville got some much needed assistance today from their British friends. For years, the British High Commission and partners have been giving back to the Children’s Home and today they stopped in for some repairs at the NGO. Andrea Polanco headed up to Ladyville to see the group doing good work at the home. Here’s that story:
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
The Liberty Children’s Home got a much needed face lift today. Personnel of the British High Commission, HMS Severn and BATSUB were busy painting buildings, including the dorms. While the effort is to offer the Children’s Home with much needed help, for the High Commission and partners, it really is about adding value to the children’s lives:
Grace Chun, Deputy High Commissioner, British Embassy
Grace Chun
“We’re here at the Liberty Children’s Home with the team from…so that’s what we’re here to do. The value is, apart from the team work…to build on that and to make a difference to them.”
The team sprucing up the structures at the home includes professionals from the BATSUB. Today’s work is just an indication of the importance that unit places on the communities in which they work:
Major Andy Downie
Major Andy Downie, Officer Commander, BATSUB
“What we’ve done today is that we’ve let our guys out who would normally maintain the camp in Price Barracks and we’ve brought them today to Liberty to help with painting and any maintenance task we can do while we are here for the Children’s Home.”
Andrea Polanco
“So, of course, the guys who are working here are professionals?”
Major Andy Downie
“Yes, they are employed by BATSUB as painters and decorators.”
Andrea Polanco
“How important is it for BATSUB to give back to the communities in the countries in which they are stationed?”
Major Andy Downie
“It’s very important. We like to be a part of all the communities that we work in and live with; We live in the community so we like to help as much as we can and this is a good opportunity to use our tradesman to help our community. I know BATSUB has done plenty of work with Liberty. I have been in the country now for about eight weeks and do look forward to do more work of this nature.”
Andrea Polanco
“So, this is your first community outreach?”
Major Andy Downie
“This is our first as BATSUB, yes.”
Andrea Polanco
“How rewarding is it for you personally?”
Major Andy Downie
“It’s very rewarding. We had a little walk with the principal to see the children and the place and the condition. So, anything we can do to make the place better.”
Presently, Liberty is home to forty-four children, ages five to seventeen. While the home partners with different agencies and funders, they still have the primary responsibility of the children and must maintain the day to day operations. And as Director Valentine explains, today’s work is significant for the home:
Agatha Valentine, Director, Liberty Children’s Home
“We are an NGO and we function by…tremendously to our children.”
