September 3, 2026
Red Cross volunteers distribute relief items to storm- and fire-affected families in Nimba and Lofa Counties.
As beneficiaries in Lofa and Nimba respond with hugs, handshakes, and tears of joy — a reminder that no family had been forgotten.
There is something powerful in a hug, a handshake, a shared smile between neighbors and humanitarians who have walked through hardship together. In July, that power was on full display as a Liberia National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) team carried its windstorm distribution mission across communities in both Nimba and Lofa Counties, delivering not only essential household items but something families said they needed just as much: presence, warmth, and human connection.
As staff distributed zinc, cement, cooking pots, buckets, blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, tarpaulins, cleaning tools, and farming materials across the two counties, the response from beneficiaries was overwhelming. People embraced the red-vested volunteers with tears, laughter, and dance, turning a routine distribution into an emotional reunion.
“When I saw our beneficiaries running to hug us before we even finished unloading the truck, I nearly cried myself,” said Marietta Doe, an LNRCS Disaster Management Volunteer Assistant who helped lead the distribution. “We came to give them zinc and cement, but what they gave us back was so much bigger — trust, love, and gratitude. That is why I do this work.”
| “We came to give them zinc and cement, but what they gave us back was so much bigger — trust, love, and gratitude. — MARIETTA DOE, LNRCS DM Volunteer Assistant |
For families who lost everything when the storm tore through their community, the visit meant more than replacing damaged roofs. Disaster does not only take away shelter and belongings — it takes away peace of mind, leaving behind fear and anxiety that can linger long after the physical damage is repaired.
“I was afraid nobody remembered us after the cameras left,” said one widow in Gbor Gwehlay Town, Nimba County, who received shelter materials and a cash grant. “But when I saw the Red Cross team come back, I felt like my family mattered again. I hugged the woman who handed me my blanket, and I did not want to let go. For the first time since the storm, I slept without crying.”
Stephen Broh, another LNRCS staff member on the distribution team, said moments like these are the true measure of humanitarian work. “You can count the bags of cement and bundles of zinc, but you cannot put a number on a mother’s smile when she knows her children will sleep safely again,” he said. “Every handshake, every embrace, told us our work is not just logistics. It is dignity restored.”
A father of five in Lofa County who received cleaning tools and farming materials echoed that gratitude. “The Red Cross did not just give us things to rebuild our house,” he said. “They gave us hope to rebuild our life. I shook every volunteer’s hand and told them: because of you, my children will eat, and we will farm again.”
| “The Red Cross did not just give us things to rebuild our house. They gave us hope to rebuild our life. — BENEFICIARY, Father of Five, Lofa County |
Albert L. Kesselley, who also took part in the distribution, said the emotional reception reaffirmed why the Red Cross insists on returning to communities in person rather than simply delivering aid from a distance. “Materials alone cannot heal a family’s fear,” Kesselley said. “But when we show up, again and again, with compassion, people feel seen. That is when real recovery begins — not just of homes, but of hope.”
LNRCS leadership say the response reflects a broader philosophy guiding the storm recovery mission across Nimba and Lofa Counties: that humanitarian assistance must address emotional wounds as much as physical ones. Beyond the distribution, the Red Cross continues supporting affected households in both counties with livelihood recovery assistance, health and hygiene support, and ongoing monitoring to ensure no family is left behind.
For the volunteers who spent the week distributing supplies under the sun, the embraces and tears of joy were reward enough. “To every volunteer, staff member, and partners including the IFRC, the EU and others who made this response possible — thank you for showing up, again and again, with compassion,” the Lofa County Field Officer Blessings Hallie acknowledged. “In the end, humanity in action is what restores joy.”
As one beneficiary put it simply, wiping tears from her eyes as she carried her new sleeping mat home: “Today, I remembered what it feels like to smile.”
