Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: How to rebuild a country

Rahul Tandon speaks to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia’s former
president and first woman to be elected to lead an African
country. Born in 1938 in what she describes as a prosperous and
‘unusual family’, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was guided by a deep
commitment to education, which she pursued despite financial
hardship and the demands of motherhood. Her outspoken criticism
of the Liberian government led to her being persecuted and
exiled, as the country descended into two civil wars that killed
over 250,000 people. She was elected president of Liberia in
2005, when she set about repairing the country’s shattered
economy and social fabric, drawing from her successful careers at
the World Bank and United Nations. Her efforts led to her being
awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.


Thank you to the Business Daily team for their help in making
this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with
people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best
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Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producers: Adriana Urbano & Amber
Mehmood Editor: Nick Holland


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(Image: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via
Getty Images)