We are working to rebuild transportation and simultaneously the spirit of people in post-war, and now, post –Ebola, Liberia.
Liberia: 2003 - Ends decades of civil war. 2006 - Elects first woman President on the continent of Africa, establishes a growing economy, welcomes foreign nations and international investors to be a part of the
massive country’s rebuilding effort. 2011 – Liberian women, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Ebola unleashes its wrath: Within weeks of being publically identified, this horrific disease devastated every facet of Liberia’s existence. Government operations were shut done, schools closed, multinationals
and NGO’s recalled all staff and the country became isolated from the outside world. Citizens were told to stay home and were not allowed to gather in groups of more than 5. Necessary food and supplies, typically transported daily from the regions outside
of the capital city were halted. Liberians who, only a few years before, knew how to navigate their city amidst bullets and bandits, were paralyzed from the unknown and unpredictability of infection and death that Ebola promised.
Prior to the outbreak, transportation in and around the capital city of Monrovia was one of the biggest impediments to productivity the country faced. In a 2007 report published by the Ministry of Transportation, it presented
that the country would need, at minimum, 500, 45 seat buses to reliably move daily commuters. With no solution in sight, the Ministry was fearful of the impact the lack of safe, reliable transportation would have on the county, especially the capital city
where over 100,000 students found themselves stranded for hours each day waiting for a ride to and from school. In 2010 only 15% of the population have reliable access to a personal or family car. In 2014 that number had only risen to 18%.
In 2010 the Lizard launched a service that aimed to address the issues the lack of transportation resources produced.
The Lizard Bus
In June of 2014, just prior to the Ebola outbreak in the capital city of Monrovia, the Lizard Bus employed over 100 people who made wages that enabled them to provide for their families, send children to school and be recognized
as a people with position in Liberia’s rebuilding effort. Additionally, the company had established programs supporting local vendors with training, mentoring and opportunity to provide services in support of our and other company operations. This program
proved tremendously successful:
*** higher quality of service from vendors
*** vendors hiring employees as their business grew
*** vendor’s ability to secure new opportunities leveraging their relationship with the Lizard Bus.
The Service
The Lizard Bus is comprised of a fleet of sixteen, pre-owned, United States manufactured, transit style buses carrying passengers in and around the center city of Monrovia on a daily basis. The Lizard dramatically impacts the desperate need for commuter
and student transportation in a city with an excess of 1.5 million people -- less than 15% having access to personal transportation.
Background
With funding from the U.S. Government’s Overseas Private Investment Corporation in the 4th quarter of 2013, NSL was able to purchase buses and equipment in America for expansion of its fleet, secure a long term facility and transform it from a
flat lot of land to a base of operations.
In March of 2014, NSL launched its service and saw the dramatic impact it had on the city. Employees could plan their day around a reliable commute. 12,000 University students traveling to campus 15 miles outside of the city
each day had an service that could get them to campus on time and home at night before dark. As June approached, and the word of Ebola spread ridership decreased. By August schools, government offices and the trade markets closed. The country’s normal pulse
was replaced, once again, with fear. As a result, the Lizard had to suspend operations furloughing its employees and mothballing the fleet. Unfortunately, our expenses continued. As the World Health Organization and the Government of Liberia look to declare
the country Ebola free in June, allowing companies, NGO’s and others to return, NSL plans to resume service.
We are constantly asked, why Liberia?
While there is no simple or short answer, the following offers insight on what set the three of us on this journey and why we won’t give up!
Individually, the principals of Nu Strata Logistics have a long-standing interest in and relationship with varying countries in Africa. This project, to provide inner-city public transportation to the citizens of Monrovia, is our
collective effort to invest and impact everyday life and long-term opportunities for Liberians.
In 2006, Wilmot Gibson, a naturalized American citizen, returned to Liberia after being separated as a teenager, from family and his homeland for over 20 years. He immediately recognized the overwhelming competing needs of the
people and saw first hand, the resulting devastation of civil war, becoming overwhelmed by the ever-present sense of despair. Wilmot longed for the return of the days when Liberia was considered the “Jewel” of the African continent. Through all of this,
Wilmot saw glimmers of hope from the people, and actions being taken by the new government, that the country had potential for returning to better days.
While in country he met with numerous government officials and local business people, returning to America convinced of his ability to make a positive impact on his homeland.
Wilmot met with NSL partner Barry Williams and shared with him details of his trip. Gibson and Williams had often discussed the idea of starting a business together in Africa and came to the decision that Liberia would be a great
place for them to invest.
For several years they monitored activities in Liberia, following the political environment, the capital investments made in Liberia and the rebuilding of the infrastructure in the country. In June of 2009, Gibson and Williams
were joined by Garrison Jackson to explore potential business opportunities in Liberia.
In November 2009, the team traveled to Liberia to participate in a business opportunity conference in Monrovia. The trip provided opportunity for meeting with key government officials to discuss the needs of the country and to
better understand the direction the country was moving in. Throughout their stay it became very evident that there was significant opportunity to “do well by doing good” in the country, thus leading to the formation of Nu Strata Logistics.
Where we are now
Launching the bus service in November of 2010, we have kept this enterprise going in the face of numerous obstacles and delays, including 3 years process of securing expansion funding. We know our efforts make a difference in
the lives of so many Liberians. The Ebola epidemic is yet another hurdle we have had to navigate. It has exhausted the Lizard Bus cash reserves and our own resources. As a result, we are asking people that see our vision and want to help the Liberian people,
who have suffered so much, to support us.
Summary
Liberia, and more specifically the Liberian people have suffered so much for so, so long. Even with all they have gone through, they refuse to give up. Living and working in this environment and seeing this will to survive up
close, we can’t fathom abandoning this effort without a fight. We ask for your help so that we can continue our mission of working to restore this once Jewel of West Africa.
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