Story

Liberia: Between the Streets and the Stadium

September 15, 2007 | Pulitzer Center
By
Andre Lambertson, for the Pulitzer Center, Liberia

The amputee soccer players are held up as the new hope of Liberia. Image by Andre Lambertson. Liberia, 2007.

The Amputee Football Federation of Liberia has already played in international matches in Sierra Leone and Russia. Now they're gearing up to go to Turkey. Image by Andre Lambertson. Liberia, 2007.

The team lines up for a pre-game hand shake. Image by Andre Lambertson. Liberia, 2007.

The team gets together for a group huddle. Image by Andre Lambertson. Liberia, 2007.

Even though Jion is awarded medals and trophies as a member of the soccer team, he sleeps outside the bank on Randall Street at night. Image by Andre Lambertson. Liberia, 2007.

Jion and David begging on Randall Street. Image by Andre Lambertson. Liberia, 2007.

Even though Peter and Jion fought for opposing rebel groups they're now friends. Image by Andre Lambertson. Liberia, 2007.

Andre Lambertson presents in his photos the lives of Liberian soccer players who have lost parts of their bodies due to the 14-year civil war. Despite being hailed as a new hope for Liberia, many of these soccer stars have no permanent homes, residing instead on the streets of Liberia while begging for money and food.

Pulitzer Center grantee Andre Lambertson and Ruthie Ackerman travel from the Park Hill community in Staten Island to the slums of Monrovia, Liberia's capital. They examine the process of reintegrating and rehabilitating Liberian youth after the war, on both sides of the ocean.