OPL began in the mid-1990s as a humanitarian relief effort led by Liberians living in the United States responding to the impacts of the Liberian civil war. Headquartered in the Ivorian town of Tabou, OPL buttress the efforts of both local and international NGOs in the provision of food, medical supplies, education, and housing facilities for displaced refugees. 

In 1998, the organization expanded its efforts to Monrovia, Liberia, delivering a consignment of relief materials estimated at $0.7 million USD. OPL left Liberia at the start of the second civil war and ceased operations when the civil war ended. 

More than two decades after the end of Liberia’s civil war, humanitarian needs remain profound. Persistent food insecurity, the accelerating impacts of climate change, and fragile, overburdened infrastructure continue to challenge community resilience and long-term recovery. 

In response, OPL renewed its commitment to Liberia with a forward-looking focus on sustainable development. In October 2022, the organization formally incorporated in Liberia, marking a new chapter grounded in locally driven solutions that strengthen livelihoods, build climate resilience, and promote lasting economic and social stability, adapting the slogan, “you will not miss us”. See the Our Approach section of the How We Work page on how we plan to implement this strategy.