The American diplomat noted that when Ebola struck Liberia, community leaders mobilized effectively to inform community dwellers about the danger of the virus and prepared response plans to prevent the spread of the disease.  
 
The U.S envoy made the commendation Thursday at the opening of a two-day Community Leaders’ Conference held under the theme: ‘Ebola’s Impact on Communities; Learning From Their Experiences To Plan For The Future’.
 
It was organized by IREX in collaboration with the National Youth Movement for Transparent Elections (NAYMOTE) and the U.S. Agency for International Development at a local hotel in the Monrovia suburb of Sinkor.
 
Malac said when people were placed under quarantine, community leaders developed approaches so that they could receive food, water and medical care and also helped to integrate Ebola survivors in their communities.

She also noted that community leaders helped to ensure that their communities were resilient, able to adapt and respond to the different stages of EVD, adding that Ebola was a shock to Liberia, the Mano River region and the world at-large.
 
Ambassador Malac emphasized that Liberians should use the Community Leadership Conference as an opportunity to share what worked well and to strategize how to apply these lessons in the future.
 
She explained that it is also time to reflect on those who fell to Ebola such as family members, health workers and friends and how to ensure that their memories are not forgotten.
LINA