LIBERIA
Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a West African country bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire, with a long coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. Its capital and largest city is Monrovia. As of 2023–2025 estimates, the population is approximately 5.2–5.5 million people.
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Liberia is ethnically diverse, with more than 16 major ethnic groups including the Kpelle, Bassa, Gio (Dan), Mano, Kru, Lorma, and Mandingo. English is the official language, but over 20 Indigenous languages are spoken throughout the country.
FAMILY
This category includes anything related to a client’s home life, relationships with parents, siblings, or extended family, and the roles they play within their household. It also covers family expectations, communication patterns, cultural values, responsibilities, conflicts, and any major events or changes happening at home. The goal is to understand how the client’s family environment shapes their daily stress, emotional wellbeing, and behavior.
Gives an overview of Liberian family life, kinship patterns, gender roles, and marriage traditions. Shows how extended families and lineage shape daily responsibilities and identity.
This lesson plan titled “Liberian Families” outlines how different family systems in Liberia—tribal families and Americo-Liberian families—function, including roles, responsibilities, and daily life. It offers useful insight into how family structure, kinship ties, and cultural norms shape Liberian family dynamics.
This article explores the heritage and evolving structure of families in Liberia, focusing on how historical, cultural, and social forces have shaped household forms, generational roles, and communal living.
This AFSUSA guide to Liberia covers key aspects of the country’s people, languages, and cultural values—especially in terms of how families and communities function.
COMMUNITY
This category explores how people in Liberia live together beyond the nuclear family — their neighborhoods, friendships, communal networks, social expectations, village or urban community structures, and how these influence daily life, social support, identity, and belonging. It covers social norms, community rituals, mutual aid, socialization practices, and how daily life is shaped by community ties.
This Wikipedia article on the “Culture of Liberia” offers a comprehensive overview of how family, community, religion, and social customs intersect in Liberian life. It covers topics like social hierarchy, communal living, traditional practices, and how modern changes are influencing society.
This op-ed titled “The Problem with Social Change in Liberia” explores how rapid social changes—such as modernization, migration, and shifting family roles—impact traditional Liberian communities and households. It highlights the tensions between ancestral expectations and new social norms.
This paper explores how conflict, social structures, and family networks intersect in Guinea-Bissau, examining how communities sustain themselves during instability and communal pressures.
This article explores how Ghanaians integrate faith-based and indigenous healing practices into their mental health journeys. It shows how spiritual beliefs, community faith structures, and traditional healers interconnect with modern therapy.
RELIGION
This category explores the beliefs, spiritual practices, and religious values that shape a client’s worldview. In many African communities, religion is deeply connected to daily life, moral expectations, community belonging, and decision-making. By understanding the client’s religious background—whether traditional beliefs, Christianity, Islam, or blended practices—counselors can better interpret their coping styles, sources of support, stress responses, and the meaning they attach to personal struggles.
A general overview of Liberia’s religious breakdown (Christianity, Islam, traditional beliefs), inclusive of historical and societal context.
Legal protections, government policy, and societal treatment of different religious groups in Liberia.
Statistical breakdown plus explanation of how Christianity, Islam and traditional religions are practiced and influence society.
Practical cultural context — how religion intersects with daily life, business, social norms, and communal behavior in Liberia.