The USW has long ties to the West African country of Liberia, where an enormous rubber plantation owned by Firestone supplies raw rubber to US tire factories where USW members work. In the aftermath of Liberia’s devastating civil war, the Firestone Agricultural Workers Union connected our union to a new initiative to provide trades education in one of the hardest hit regions of the country. Supported by the SHF since 2013, Camp for Peace has grown to enroll a hundred vulnerable young men and women in year-long courses in carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electrical, weaving, tailoring and agriculture. The school also provides support for its graduates to form cooperatives. Several grow and process cassava, while others weave and sew clothing. In 2024, the school underwent a major expansion with the construction of additional classrooms, including a daycare centre to increase women’s participation.
In November 2024, Camp for Peace director Abel Learwellie visited Toronto and met with the Steelworkers Toronto Area Council, Local 1998 and staff at the Canadian National Office. A few weeks later, a delegation from the SHF including members from Districts 3 and 6, travelled to Liberia to see the activities of Camp for Peace firsthand. Participants observed how the cooperatives worked and met with teachers and students from each of the courses, all of whom described the importance of the training to their plans for earning a livelihood. An emotional highlight was attending their graduation ceremony, attended by the proud students and their families. They were congratulated by local community leaders who also attested to the importance of Camp for Peace.
Despite the impressive work under difficult circumstances accomplished by Camp for Peace, many challenges remain. The trades classrooms lack sufficient tools and equipment, while the cooperatives hope to eventually install electric lighting. Addressing the rural community’s dependence on costly gas-powered generators, the school is initiating a new course in the installation and maintenance of solar panels. By providing some of those much-needed resources, the SHF is enabling Camp for Peace to change the lives of youth in Liberia.
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