Art work by Hamilton Beach

Art-work done by ex child-soldiers at rehabilitation centre near Hamilton beach.

Children on Lakka Beach

Lumley Beach

Exploring Freetown

Freetown seems a place of incredible contrasts. Extreme poverty alongside beautiful pristine beaches. People driving round in smart white jeeps (with NGO logos on the side,) and others crowded into very run down poda poda’s and yellow taxis. As you talk to people here, you realise how much life is a struggle for them. The security guard, at the hotel we are staying, talked about how they drink ORS (oral rehydration solution,) when they don’t have food. He is a maths teacher, but didn’t get paid for his work for months, so had to give it up and work night shifts as a security guard.

Its been good having a chance to explore Freetown. Yesterday I went to collect a bike that a friend who was previously working out here has lent me (thanks Fred!,) and had an exciting slightly scary cycle back trying to remember to cycle on the right, negotiating busy traffic on the bumpy dirt roads. The views and sunset were incredible though. We also had a chance to go out to one of the beaches just out of Freetown at the weekend, and had a lovely day, enjoying the beautiful white sand beaches, playing Frisbee with some children there, and eating barracuda and chips!

People are very friendly, and we are made to feel very welcome. Today on our VSO tour of Freetown we started off at the Ministry of Health, and were introduced to and welcomed by the Chief Medical Officer, Director of Hospitals, and Director of Reproductive and Child Health. I also met one of the two paediatricians in the country in government service; the one I met works full time in administrative duties at the MOH so there’s only one who does clinical practice.

We then went onto the Museum of Sierra Leone. One half of it was dedicated to the history of the country, and another to the secret societies of Sierra Leone. We weren’t allowed to take any photos in the second half of it. Our in-country training has covered some bits about the secret societies, which are particularly present in the rural areas. Young girls and boys are taken into the bush and ‘taught’ how to be women and men, culminating in initiation ceremonies, where they dance with these masked figures, which they had models of in the museum. We went on after to the peace and cultural centre, which is just by the big cotton tree, a celebration of peace, and commemoration to the soldiers and other civilians who died in the civil war.

Tomorrow is our last day, of in-country training, which culminates in a big party, with other VSO volunteers, VSO staff and the partner organisations we’ll been working with. On Saturday, we are travelling up-country to Bo.

First week

It’s been an interesting and fun first week in Freetown. 

I arrived on Sunday evening to a very crazy airport (probably worse than normal as three planes had landed in quick succession,) and was met by a lovely VSO staff member.  We got into a bus down to the water taxi terminal, where we had to wait for several boats to go before there was space for us.  It was dark by that time; the stars were amazing.  It was exciting getting the choppy boat across the water with the sky being lit up with lightening.  We arrived in the part of Freetown called Aberdeen, and were dropped at the hotel we’re staying at while in Freetown called ‘Leisure Lodge, the Ultimate place to relax!’ We are the first guests at this hotel, which is still being built.  The staff are lovely and have been teaching us Krio.  It has 24-hour electricity, air-conditioning (all very unusual for Freetown,) and wireless (when it works!) and great breakfasts with fresh papaya and pineapple.  

This week has been spent at in country training at the VSO office learning more about the developmental context in Sierra Leone, history, culture and the health and secure livelihoods programme they have. We started Krio lessons as well, and covered a huge amount in our first lesson from greetings to parts of the body to past, future and present tenses, but are not sure how much I can remember. 

We’ve been exploring Freetown in the evenings … our hotel is not far from Lumley beach, which is sandy but unfortunately covered with seaweed and rubbish.  It rained lots the beginning of the week, but have had some dry days the last few days, and went for a run (short!) along the beach yesterday.

The roads are mainly dirt roads with massive holes in them.  There are small corrugated iron shacks everywhere, and people selling various things, carrying huge loads on their heads.  People seem very friendly, and all shout out ‘How are you?’ ‘How de body?’ We’ve been either driven around by VSO, or squeezed into taxi’s (our record has been 9 in a small car.)  The other volunteers (there’s 9 of us who arrived at the beginning of the week, and a few more coming today,) are lovely, and there are a few of us who will be in Bo (the city I’ll be living and working in.)  We’re in Freetown for another week, and then travelling out to Bo next weekend.