The Rising Voices Grantee Ceasefire Liberia has some exciting updates. Almost 200 articles from Liberian bloggers around the world have been published in their blog so far. In its short history, the project generated many partnerships and collaborations. The project leader Ruthie Ackerman writes:

The New Liberian and Ceasefire Liberia have also begun to cross-post each others’ articles on our blogs so please look for The New Liberian RSS feed on our home page. [..]

In addition to our partnerships I was interviewed on MediaBistro about the Ceasefire Liberia project, as well as interviewed for an article in Planet Africa that will be published in the spring. CUNY TV has also been out to Staten Island several times to tape a segment on our project.

Ruthie also posted a round-up of what the bloggers of Ceasefire Liberia project covered in December 2009.

Global Voices co-founder Ethan Zuckerman pointed out to the forced exoticism and inaccuracies of a recent series of web documentaries published on Vice Magazine and comments:

Vice’s documentary demonstrates that there are stories to tell about Africa’s history that can reach an audience beyond the NPR/PBS community. The open question for me is whether the story they tell is a constructive one, one that can help Liberia move forwards, or merely a shocking, exploitative one.

Rising Voices Director David Sasaki commented on Ethan Zuckerman's post:

To say that this documentary is representative of Liberia is like saying that a documentary on Las Vegas is representative of the United States. I find it so frustrating that sensationalized nonsense like this gets so much attention when really incredible storytelling by Liberians (Note: Ceasefire Liberia) barely gets picked up at all. [..]

The more important question in my opinion is how to get more people/viewers interested in understanding another country and culture rather than just looking at clips of brothels and cannibalism.

So Ladies and Gentlemen, here we present the real Liberia seen through the eyes of the Liberian bloggers:

Developments:

An ailing bridge at Caldwell, a major township located on the outskirts of the Liberian capital, will soon be replaced by a new one.

Leroy M. Sonpon, III reports that the new United States Embassy building in Monrovia will be the tallest diplomatic building in Liberia when it will be completed in 2012.

Entertainment:

19 year old musical icon Vivian Akoto won the “A Star Is Born” contest. The competition was hosted by the Liberian Government and the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and it aims to identify young and potential stars in Liberia, and is linked to the Government’s PRS, the national development plan.

Infrastructure:

Over 300 students of a fee-free missionary school in Plandialebo City, Sinoe County is on the verge of shutting down as it is unable to pay the salaries of the teachers and failed to meet the renovation needs of the premises.

Religion:

A major gospel festival titled “CityFest- Liberia 2010″ will be held in Monrovia, Liberia on February 13, 2010. Celebrities on stage include Mike Silva, renowned American speaker and evangelist and Kanvee Gaines-Adams, Liberia's popular gospel artist.

Personal Stories:

Saki Golafale, who had fled to Sierra Leone from Liberia in the early 90s as a refugee, came back to Freetown after all these years. He writes about his feelings and shares:

I am beginning a community service program this year in my Paynesville community of Wood Camp and hope to meet Sierra Leoneans who want to collaborate with me.

Nat Bayjay, the blog manager of Ceasefire Liberia tied the knots with Mrs. Zahn Bayjay on Sunday, December 27, 2009. Nat explains:

There are always two things that come to one’s mind whenever the word ‘wedding’ is mentioned, especially so in Liberia. One issue is that marriage is a very costly thing. Another perception in Liberia among most young Liberians is that getting wedded means ‘tying yourself down’. It is usually perceived that marriage is not meant for the young as he or she has not enjoyed life yet.

Nat got other perspectives on those issues and decided to get married anyway. We wish them a happily married and successful life.

Nat also shares the different types of wedding seen in Liberia.

Politics:

Dr. Laurence Bropleh, the suspended Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, announced his resignation earlier this month. He had been at the center of a financial scandal at the Ministry and he defended his position in a resignation letter published in this post.

On The Other Side Of The Atlantic:

Seyon Nyanwleh, the executive director of the A-Mon-Nue Sport and Social Association (ASSA Inc) in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota shares photos of an civic engagement event to feed starving children. They helped pack 22,032 meals that can feed 60 kids for an entire year.

Read more posts of the Ceasfire Liberia Blog and don't forget to leave comments.