Freetown — Project officer of National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) in the south-east Moriba Foday has informed community people that the local integration of Liberian refugees into host communities has started and called on them to cooperate with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for the realization of the project.

UNHCR officer in charge of Kenema sub-office Prachuap Yangsa said during the second half of 2007 and following the completion of the voluntary repatriation of the Liberian refugees, UNHCR and its implementing partners embarked on a pilot phase of local integration.

"A central theme of the local integration programme was to increase the absorption capacity of the communities in which the refugees would be integrated," he said.

Yangsa said UNHCR constructed 130 communal ventilated improved pit latrines in sixteen communities which cost about Le275,323,000 and was implemented by Caritas Kenema.

He said his organization has also improved on health facilities at Largo, Tobanda and Taiama with an aim to provide primary health care services to host communities and refugees.

He disclosed that UNHCR has given clearance to the government of Sierra Leone to take over all the school buildings in the eight refugee camps in the country.