On Friday, July 1, the MAGIF Center hosted a festive event to mark the end of the school year. Two years after the death of Margret Gieraths-Nimene, this was an occasion to honor and remember the founder of the MAGIF Center and MAGIF Community School. The event was very well attended. In addition to the parents of the students, members and leaders of the community were also present. The children presented a diverse program, they were very excited but they performed very confidently and showed their best side. The children's successful school attendance is a result of the dedicated and professional work of the teachers and the entire team. The children are lovingly cared for and learn in a beautiful and stimulating environment.

On April 15, 2022, on the occasion of the birthday of Margret Gieraths-Nimene, an online meeting between Monrovia and the association Liberia e.V. Germany took place.

The structures created by Margret and the local people were gratefully and joyfully appreciated. For the celebration, the girls of the MAGIF Center sang a very beautiful song in Margret's honor.

It became clear that the Liberian staff members are continuing the work with great vigor and motivation, and many words of gratitude and mutual appreciation were exchanged.

On 22.12. the students were released with a celebration into the Christmas vacations. In good tradition, the children and young people presented a varied and colorful program for their fellow students and parents. Due to the pandemic, the event was held outdoors this year. Children, teachers and parents expressed their gratitude for the positive past year that they were able to spend together, despite the pandemic. There was also singing and dancing, everyone had a great time and spent a carefree, joyful time together. On behalf of the association, I would like to express my sincere thanks to all the donors who contribute to the fact that we are able to enable the children to attend school and to live well together.

The harvest of the garden project is good and abundant. The meals for the children in the home and in the school will benefit greatly. Thanks to the efforts of the staff and the children and young people from the home and the community, the garden project is a great and lasting success with positive effects on different levels. Not only food for the body was created, but also food for cohesion and joy and pride in one's own achievement.

Margret Gieraths-Nimene was born on April 15, 1951. She was a compassionate and helpful woman. Being there for others was important to her, she wanted a peaceful and just world, she wanted all people to live in dignity and recognition. That is why she always stood up for people and supported the disadvantaged and the weak. She lived in Liberia since the early eighties. Even during the war and the Ebola crisis in , she stayed by the side of the people in Liberia and actively helped to care for the sick and injured. With tireless dedication, she created institutions to improve the quality of life for the people. She founded a clinic, a school and a children's home. She is also the founder of the Margret Gieraths Nimene Foundation (MAGIF) On July 22, 2020, Margret Gieraths-Nimene passed away. We, the members of the Liberia e.V., her Liberian co-workers, the children in the home and school and the people in the community are still stunned and saddened by this loss. We all owe her a great deal. I am glad and proud to have known her. Lena Pichler

In memory of Margret Gieraths-Nimene, the founder of MAGIF with the Center and the Community School, a celebration was also held this year. With a festive event at Christmas, the children were given presents, the staff and employees were thanked for their good work and recognition was given. There was a colorful program lovingly created by the children and teachers.

An action that gives pleasure; that was the dance workshop in September. Traditional dances to life music with professional musicians and teachers. Here the children get to know and love the music and dances of their culture with joy and fun. They are enthusiastic and learn very quickly. So after a short time they can perform in front of an audience and enrich the events of the year.

MAGIF COMMUNITY SCHOOL is open again. The children are happy that they can go to school and that normal everyday life is returning.

The training is being conducted by the Liberian organization "Association of Literacy Educators (ALE)", a member organization of the "International Literacy Association". The training is part of a large-scale literacy project for elementary school and is sponsored by the Florida-based NGO "The Children's Reading Center".

Teachers at the MAGIF Community School are trained in reading and writing skills.

Teaching materials are used that were developed for the Liberian reality of life.  The children learn by means of pictures and texts that depict their concrete environment in which they find themselves. This raises the level of teaching to a higher level and the children receive a better education.

We are very happy that the MAGIF Community School has the opportunity to participate in this project!

Supported by the Karl Bröcker Foundation we were able to start a garden project for the MAGIF Community School. In this project the students learn how to plant a garden.
On the MAGIF property, directly adjacent to the school and the orphanage, a school garden is being created under expert guidance. Here the children learn how to grow vegetables and can then enjoy the fruits of their work. They are very happy and motivated in their work.
The aim of the project is to teach the children how to provide themselves with food. Furthermore they make the experience that they themselves can influence the circumstances that shape their lives.
In this way, specialist knowledge is conveyed and the self-confidence of the pupils is strengthened at the same time.

Dear visitors of the website Liberia e. V.

unfortunately there is very sad news from Liberia.

On Wednesday, 22.07.2020 Margret Gieraths-Nimene passed away. The funeral took place on August 4, 2020 in Monrovia.


The grief and horror about her sudden death leaves us speechless.


With Mrs. Gieraths-Nimene we lose an important part of our work on site in Monrovia. She founded and brought to life the MAGIF CENTER, the MAGIF COMMUNITY SCHOOL and the GERLIB HEALTH CENTER. She has ensured that high standards are maintained and that human dignity is paramount.


This is the reason why these facilities radiate so much friendliness and vitality. All the people who live, work, go to school, participate in an offer for the members of the community or visit the clinic form a community. They all share the prospect of a bright future.


Although it will be difficult to get along without the important work of Mrs. Gieraths-Nimene, it will continue in her spirit.


From the very beginning, Ms. Gieraths-Nimene has placed great emphasis on spreading the work and responsibility over many shoulders, and, above all, on involving the Liberian staff.
Thanks to this, we have trustworthy and responsible employees in the important positions. This provides a solid basis for further cooperation.

In Liberia, life goes on with the pandemic.

People are suffering under the difficult economic conditions. After nine weeks in a state of emergency, the people are not well.


There are 238 confirmed infections, of which 25 new infections in the last seven days and 23 deaths. This means the trend is upwards. The fact that the infection figures have not yet exploded is probably due to the disciplined behaviour of Liberians. The regulations, especially those concerning hygiene, are taken very seriously and are consistently implemented.


The staff of the MAGIF COMMUNITY SCHOOL continues to do important educational work and distribute flyers and soap. This is very important because it enables the community's residents to implement the hygiene requirements and protect themselves and their fellow human beings. So far, 1250 households have been visited and soap with a total value of US$ 300 has been distributed.

The 96 children of the MAGIF COMMUNITY SCHOOL also received visits from the staff, as did the sponsored children who are supported by Liberia e.V. and who are now attending high school.

Six weeks have passed since the curfew began. Masks are compulsory and people are urged to wash their hands frequently.
On 27 April there were 141 confirmed infections, 16 people died from the virus and 45 patients who tested positive for the virus and were treated in hospital have since recovered. Most of the acutely infected (129) live in Monrovia.
For the people, the economic situation is getting dangerously worse, day labourers, street vendors and traders are without income.
The Liberian press explains that there is a corona virus and a hunger virus!
State education and material support for the people are not comprehensive.

The GERLIB HEALTH CENTER is open around the clock. The number of patients has been reduced. This has increased the proportion of patients who are not able to pay. The staff is wearing protective clothing, washing hands is a MUST for all who are there, the entrance is closed, one may only enter after a detailed questioning by the specialist staff, all those entering are measured for fever.
The free service for pregnant women is still available. The care and treatment of children and adults with various diseases continues.

The girls in the MAGIF CENTER have been at home since 16.04. as the schools are closed, they are healthy and hope to go back to school and meet their friends soon.
They are lovingly cared for 24 hours a day. The girls are occupied with painting, handicrafts, sewing and other handicrafts. They learn cooking and baking and take care of the house and garden.
The schools, which are attended by ten of the girls, arrange an analogous distance learning program by compiling teaching material, which is collected by a social worker. The girls work with these materials and a social worker brings them back to school.

The MAGIF COMMUNITY SCHOOL, like all schools, has stopped teaching since March 16th. The employees go to the community and do educational work about the corona virus and the protective measures. They distribute a flyer and a bar of soap. So the families can carry out the hygiene measures at home and protect themselves effectively.

The pandemic is another, especially economic, constraint for Liberians. It hits them particularly hard because society has not yet recovered from the consequences of the EBOLA crisis and the aftermath of the 14-year civil war (1989-2013). Those biographies that have just embarked on a hopeful development with vocational and university education are now experiencing a break.
The most important thing at present is to ensure that people get enough to eat and that social peace is maintained.

The curfew was extended to 60 days from 10.04. There are 91 confirmed infections, 8 people died and 7 people recovered (Ministry of Health and Social Welfare 20.04.2020).

The houses may only be left from 6:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon. Face masks are compulsory.

The MAGIF Community School, like all schools in the country, is closed. Social workers and teachers/caretakers of the school go to the community and do educational work. They explain how the virus spreads and how people can protect themselves from it. They also distribute soap in the households, which was purchased for this purpose. In this way the inhabitants of the community are able to carry out the hygiene measures.

The girls in the MAGIF Center have to stay at home, they miss school and their usual activities. They are insecure and unhappy and feel the crisis first hand. Nevertheless they behave very well and are friendly with each other.
It is a very difficult time for all of them.

 Since the weekend there is a curfew, people are only allowed to leave the house from six in the morning until the afternoon. After that the streets remain empty.

There are now 59 confirmed infections.

The girls at the Magif Center don't go out anymore. Fortunately they have a garden and occasionally they can go to the playground of the closed community school in the immediate vicinity.

In the background you can see the closed school building, the children are missing lessons and time together. This is like the children in Germany. What is extremely different are the communication possibilities via internet and other media. But much worse are the economic worries due to the crisis, inflation is increasing.
The food on the photo costs 30 US dollars in a country where many people earn only a few Liberian dollars as day labourers, at an exchange rate of almost 200 Liberian dollars to 1 US dollar.

On 25.03.2020 the Liberian president declared a state of emergency for the country.

The airport is closed and the national borders are well guarded.
All schools, restaurants, bars, hairdresser's shops and public facilities are closed.
No more than two people are allowed to be together in public. Mopeds may only be used by one person, taxis may only be manned by three people, including the driver.
Shops may only be entered by 5 persons at the same time, long queues form in front of the doors. The shelves are empty and there are no supply chains as we know them for example in Europe.
Before shopping, everyone has to wash their hands, shopping baskets are disinfected.
Compliance with the rules is strictly monitored by the police and military.
There are hand washing stations all over the country. There are buckets of water and soap everywhere, there is a valve at the bottom that you can open, then some water comes out and you can wash your hands. In this respect the Liberians are one step ahead of us, consistent hand washing is an effective measure against the virus.

At the government quarantine station three people (as of 26.03.) are currently being treated for a corona infection.

The mood in the country is bad. The people are very afraid to experience an epidemic like 2015 / 16 again. The already very difficult economic situation is worsening drastically.

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the association, there was a ceremony on 17 August 2019 at the

Torhaus Nord, Liegnitzstrasse 63, 28237 Bremen.

Margret Gieraths-Nimene gave an impressive and lively account of her work in Liberia.

It was a very interesting, informative afternoon in a pleasant atmosphere. Old contacts were cultivated and new ones made.

There was a small supporting programme with music and storytellers.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator

We look forward to the opening of the new MAGIF Community School with great joy and gratitude.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you very much for the generous donations and the good support, without which we would not have been able to realize this project!

From September 15th this beautiful building with its large and bright rooms will be filled with life. Then the new school year will begin and the children will be taught there.

In October there will be the official inauguration ceremony, we will report about it.

The new building is already taking shape. Here, 4 new classrooms are being built on the school's own premises.

The building comprises four classrooms, two smaller rooms used as offices, a storage room and two toilets. The roof was covered, as can be seen on the photo. The Septic Tank, which consists of two chambers, was built.

Next, the plastering of the interior and exterior walls is started and the cement floor is poured. Then it will be decided whether the floor will be tiled or terracotta.

Then the carpenter steps into action again and pulls in the ceiling. The installation of the windows follows. At the same time the frames for the doors must be inserted.

It is realistic that the building will be ready for occupancy at the beginning of the new school year in September 2019 and that the lessons will take place there.