Liberia is blessed with both sunshine and rainfall. Being a country that relies heavily on agriculture for food, rain may seem to be a blessing because most farmers depend on it to water their crops. On the other hand, during the rainy season, many people in Liberia suffer from poor health, flooding, and other issues as the result of the rain.

Whenever it rains, many communities get flooded as the result of poor drainage systems. When these communities get flooded, it poses health risks on the residents, especially children. Due to the lack of pipe borne water throughout the country, many people get their drinking water from wells. During the rainy season when communities get flooded, these wells get contaminated and those who drink from them get sick with water borne diseases. This issue has been a serious problem in Liberia for years. Several international NGOs have helped by constructing several hand pumps.

Furthermore, when communities are flooded as the result of heavy rainfall, some families become homeless as the result of water entering their homes. Few days ago, I was saddened when I visited a family that had been victimized by heavy rainfall. As I arrived at their home, I met the father of the home dipping water from his house using a bucket as he carried his baby tied on his back. They had nowhere else to go.

Another effect of heavy rainfall in Liberia is the covering of streets by water, making them inaccessible. As the result, kids are not able to go to school, some businesses do not open, etc. Rainfall may be a blessing for many, but it surely is a source of worries for others.