Who owns ETAT plus Liberia?

The healthcare development world is full of organisations and hospitals seeking to lay claim to various positive initiatives. Everyone wants to change lives, for their work and time to be impactful.

Over the years ETAT plus has had various partners who have made it happen. Over 30 people have been involved in delivering the training workshops and the vital work behind the scenes of co-ordinating venues, ordering training materials and organising essential supplies. Swansea Bay Health Charity, LIVE2540, Partners in Health, Samaritan’s Purse and now the Children’s Prize Foundation have all carried the financial burden of the workshops at various points, working closely with local health institutions and teams.

Yet I’m always impressed by the gracious way in which none of these groups has tried to claim sole ownership of the training. The children we are here to serve are far too important to be drowned in territorial tussles, and those of us involved in the work know that well.

I’m thankful for the openness to knowledge sharing across different countries, facilitated by organisations such as the Royal College of Child Health and Paediatrics.

This week I had the opportunity re-organise all the data gathered from the various ETAT plus workshops all over Liberia. To date there have been 20 different initiatives with local champions established all over the country. An incredible 739 healthcare workers have gone through the training since it was first established in 2019. Each health worker represents a huge number of children’s lives saved.

Many of these folks have since been involved in helping bring healing to children in some very challenging situations, working with scarce resources and in healthcare systems which are profoundly challenging.

Yet they persist in giving excellent care and doing what they can to bring others on this learning journey. These healthcare workers own ETAT plus. And they show that ownership through every careful decision, every precise fluid calculation and every moment of careful triage. It is owned by a network, a national village raising the next generation. A resilient, compassionate and persistent network.

But most importantly Liberia’s children own this program. Children whose lives are being saved by the introduction of systems where before there was speculation. Children who have a hope thanks to encountering health workers who care enough to take time to understand how to use oxygen, treat convulsions and learn fluid calculations.

Fragile little ones who came desperate and breathless now restored to life. Babies tiny and malnourished now healed and whole, able to enjoy childhood. Toddlers with uncontrollable seizures whose limbs and minds are now at peace.

This is your program. It always will be.

As we’ve celebrated Easter recently, it has been encouraging to reflect on the selfless example of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. He didn’t have to do that and there was nothing selfish to be gained. Yet we hear the words, “This is my body, broken for you”.

A body broken not for self-promotion, but for the people who need it the most.

So if ETAT plus is going to follow its headquarters Jesus Loves Me, and be about the children who need it the most, it is going to go need to get closer to those children. That is why ETAT plus is going to continue to focus in 2026 and 2027 on some of the less served areas of the country as we aim for 1000 people trained by the end of 2027. We are willing to work with anyone and everyone who shares the same vision.

May we move on from ourselves and continue to put competing interests aside for those of Liberia’s children!