First Liberian Civil War
Results in a controversial election of warlord Charles Taylor.
Results in a controversial election of warlord Charles Taylor.
Women in Liberia engage in a number of movements and protests, including the formation of "Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace." This leads to the election of Liberia's first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was the first female elected head of state in all of Africa.
The Liberian Women’s Sewing Project begins as a tiny start up in the basement of Chid Liberty’s family’s basement, a building that had been taken over by the military during the civil wars. The project was founded on the basis of “fair-trade,” which focuses on good workplace practices, environmental impact, and corporate transparency while maintaining the importance of making profits and being a successful [...]
By 2014, Liberty had secured $40 million in contracts to start Liberia’s first garment manufacturing factory.
Ebola outbreak causes state of emergency, takes the lives of 5,000 Liberians, and the factory is forced to shut down. This pushes Liberty & Justice to the brink of bankruptcy, but local employees preserve business and maintain commitment. Most large contracts with American companies are lost during this hiatus in production.
World Health Organization finally declares Liberia to be Ebola-free.
Liberty & Justice decides to use excess fabric from unfulfilled past orders to launch a one-for-one model, UNIFORM. For every piece of apparel sold in the U.S., the company would donate a school uniform to a child in Liberia who couldn't afford it. The company raised funds on Kickstarter and reached its goal of $50,000 in five hours. Currently have 90% female workforce 49% [...]