Oct 19, 2014

Surviving Ebola: Portraits of Liberians who have recovered

Kalani Gordon 0 Comment World ebola, ebola survivors, liberia, liberians

33 Photos

The Ebola epidemic has a 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. – Getty

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Ebola survivor Sontay Massaley, 37, smiles upon her release from the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. Massaley, who spent 8 days recovering from the disease in the center, said she worked as a vendor in a market before contracting the virus, which has an average 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization. Ebola leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Joseph Yensy, 23, who lost a child to ebola, departs the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), treatment center after being discharged on October 5, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. He said he was in the facility for a month of recovery after coming down with the deadly disease. Ebola survivors become immune to it. The epidemic has killed more than 3,400 people in West Africa, according to the World Health Organization. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Oliver Weeh, 40, stands in the low-risk area of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center after recovering and being released on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. The high school history teacher said lost his younger brother and sister to the disease, and that he probably caught it while caring for them. Ebola kills some 70 percent of the people it infects, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Nancy Paye, 20, stands outside the JFK Ebola treatment center after recovering from the disease and being released from the center on October 13, 2014 in Monrovia, Liberia. Paye, who works selling dry goods in an outdoor market, said she thought she contracted the disease from a friend, who died in her care. Ebola, which has an average 70 percent mortality rate, leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor James Harris, 29, stands for a portrait before a shift as a nurse’s assistant at the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. Harris spent 2 weeks recovering from the disease, which has an average 70 percent mortality rate, although leaves survivors immune to the strain that sicked them. The former construction worker said that he believes he caught the disease while caring for his father, who died of Ebola at home. He now counsels others at the treatment center. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Doctors Without Borders (MSF), staff cheer as Ebola survivors are out-processed from the treatment center after recovering from the virus on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. About 40 percent of people who contract the disease survive. According to the World Health Organization, the Ebola epidemic has killed more than 4,000 people in West Africa. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Sontay Massaley, 37, smiles upon her release from the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. Massaley, who spent 8 days recovering from the disease in the center, said she worked as a vendor in a market before contracting the virus, which has an average 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization. Ebola leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Moses Lansanah, 30, stands at the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center after meeting with fellow survivors on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. Lansanah, a construction worker, said he lost his pregnant fiance, Amifete, 22, who was 9 months pregnant with his child, when she died of Ebola. The disease has a 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivors Anthony Naileh, 46, and his wife Bendu Naileh, 34, stand at the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center after meeting with fellow survivors on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. Anthony said he is a steographer at the Liberian Senate and plans to go back to work for the January session. Bendu, a nurse, said she thought she caught Ebola after laying her hands in prayer on a nefew who had the disease in August. She then sickened her husband, who cared for her. The virus has a 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Lassana Jabeteh, 36, smiles before his shift as a nurse’s assistant at the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. He said that he previously worked as a taxi driver and that he thinks he caught Ebola when he transported a sick policeman who vomitied in his car on the way to the hospital. MSF hired Jabeteh after he recovered in their treatment center and he now counsels and comforts others stricken by the disease. Ebola leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivors Mark Jerry, 30, (R), and Zaizay Mulbah, 34, stand together before their shifts as nurse’s assistants at the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. Jerry was a money changer and Mulbah a delivery driver before they caught the disease and went to the MSF center where they recovered. MSF hired them afterwards to counsel and comfort others stricken by the disease. Ebola kills about 70 percent of the people it infects, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

A mother and child put their handprints on a piece of artwork made by outgoing Ebola survivors from the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), treatment center on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. Roughly 40 percent of people who come down with Ebola survive. According to the World Health Organization, the Ebola epidemic has killed more than 4,000 people in West Africa. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Emergency room doctor and Ebola survivor Philip Ireland stands outside the JFK Hospital where he works on October 13, 2014 in Monrovia, Liberia. Ireland spent 21 days recovering from the disease in July. Ebola, which has an average 70 percent mortality rate, leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Mohammed Bah, 39, stands at the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center after meeting with fellow survivors on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. Bah, who works as a driver, said he lost his wife, mother, father and sister to Ebola, which has an average 70 percent mortality rate. The disease leaves survivors immune to the strain that sicked them. He said he spent a week at the MSF center recovering from the disease. Like many other Ebola survivors, he said that the stigma of having had Ebola as been difficult. “I’ve been rejected by everyone. I’m alone with my two children,” he said. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Paul Horace, 34, stands outside the JFK Ebola treatment center after recovering from the disease on October 13, 2014 in Monrovia, Liberia. Horace, an ambulance driver, spent a week at there recovering from the disease, which has an average 70 percent mortality rate. Ebola leaves survivors immune to the strain that sicked them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor John Massani, 27, stands in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. The construction worker said that Ebola killed 6 members of his extended family and he thinks he contracted the disease while caring for a sick relative. The virus has a 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Ami Subah, 39, stands inside the low-risk area of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), treament center after meeting with fellow survivors on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. Subah, a midwife, said she thinks she caught Ebola when she delivered a baby boy from a sick mother. The boy, she said, survived, but the mother died. She said she has not had work since her recovery, due to the stigma of having had Ebola. “Nobody will even let me draw water from the community well,” she said. The virus has a 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Sontay Massaley, 37, smiles with Doctors Without Borders (MSF), staff after being released from the MSF treatment center on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. In her hand she held a bag containing her cell phone, which had been disinfected. She said she was there for eight days, after having first arrived sick and tested positive for the disease. Massaley has three children, all healthy, and works as a vendor an an outdoor market. She did not know from whom she contracted Ebola. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor James Mulbah, 2, stands with his mother, Tamah Mulbah, 28, who also recovered from Ebola in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center after survivors’ meeting on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. The virus has a 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Emanuel Jolo, 19, stands in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center after a survivors’ meeting on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. The 12th grade high school student lost six family members and believes he caught the disease while washing the body of his father, who died of Ebola. The virus has a 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivors prepare to leave the Doctors Withouth Borders (MSF), treatment center after recovering from the virus on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. About 40 percent of people who contract the disease survive. According to the World Health Organization, the Ebola epidemic has killed more than 4,000 people in West Africa. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Benetha Coleman, 24, stands in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center after attending a survivors’ meeting on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. She said that her husband and two children died due to the disease. The Ebola epidemic has a 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Mohammed Jan Jallo, 40, stands in the low-risk area of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center after his recovery and release on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. Jallo, a vendor in an outdoor market, spent 9 days at the treatment center recovering from the virus, which leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. The World Health Organization says the mortality rate of Ebola is 70 percent. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Eric Forkpa, 23, stands in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center after meeting with fellow survivors on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. The college student, majoring in civil engineering, said he thinks he caught Ebola while caring for his sick uncle, who died of the disease. He spent 18 days at the MSF center recovering from the virus. The virus has a 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Victoria Masah, 28, stands in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. She said her husband and two children died of Ebola. The virus has a 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Varney Taylor, 26, stands in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center after attending a survivors’ meeting on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. He said he lost three family members to the disease and believes he contracted Ebola while carrying the body of his aunt after her death. The Ebola epidemic has a 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Mohammed Wah, 23, stands in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. The construction worker said that Ebola killed 5 members of his extended family and he thinks he contracted the disease while caring for his neffew. The virus has a 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Ebola survivor Jeremra Cooper, 16, wipes his face from the heat while in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Ebola treatment center on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. The 8th grade student said he lost six family members to the Ebola epidemic before coming down sick with the disease himself and being sent to the MSF center, where he recovered after one month. The virus has a 70 percent mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but leaves survivors immune to the strain that sickened them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Emergency room doctor and Ebola survivor Philip Ireland congratulates fellow survivors after they were released from the JFK Ebola treatment center on October 13, 2014 in Monrovia, Liberia. A planned strike at Ebola treatment centers was averted as most nurses and health care workers reported for work, many saying they could not in good conscience leave their patients unattended. Health workers have been asking for increased hazard pay. They are one of the most high-risk groups of Ebola infection, and nearly 100 of them have died in Liberia alone. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)