About Us

Liberia is a beautiful country situated on the coast of West Africa. It was founded in 1847 by free people of color from the United States. The emigration of African Americans, both freeborn and recently emancipated, was funded and organized by what was basically an early version of a NGO (Non-governmental organization).

The Liberian Association of Ottawa (LAO) is a non-profit incorporated organization established in 1991 by Liberians who already lived in Canada and others who sought refuge in Canada during the civil war in Liberia in the early 1990s. As the oldest Liberian diaspora organization in Canada, we are dedicated to bringing together and addressing the economic, social, and cultural needs of Liberians, Canadians of Liberian descent, and friends of Liberia in the National Capital Region of Canada (Ottawa-Gatineau) and surrounding areas through various programs services and advocacy efforts.