The Mothers of Sierra Leone

While going through various magazines in my house, I came across one of the latest issues in Time magazine. I was pleasantly surprised to find an article that centered around Sierra Leone within the magazine pages. Throughout this entire project so far, I have not yet heard any news about the country of Sierra Leone in any current news articles or on news broadcasting networks, so I was glad to find the article “Death in Birth”.

The article essentially discusses the troubles and consequences of mothers who die in birth. Annually nearly 536,000 women die while giving birth. Most of the women that contribute to that number are women from developing and third world countries such as Sierra Leone. In my past recent posts I focused on the children of Sierra Leone. However, this article opened me up to the idea of the mothers and fathers; the very people who create the future of their country. So not only does Sierra Leone have the highest infant mortality rate in the world, it is also amongst the countries with the highest maternal mortality rates. In their lifetime, a Sierra Leone woman has a one in eight chance of dying while giving birth, while in Sweden the rate is much lower with a chance of one in 17,400. To make matters worse there are only five gynecologists in the entire country. Compare that number to the over six million people who live in Sierra Leone. To combat these horrible statistics the UN has taken action and has incorporated lowering the maternal mortality rate as one of its goals in their Millennium Development goals, which they hope to achieve by the year 2015. However as studies have shown, while other countries maternal mortality rates have reduced in the last years, the rates of developing countries have barely decreased, if not staying the same.

This article definitely gave me a broader perspective on the health care system in Sierra Leone. It seems to me that although the newly elected government has tried to make reforms ever since the end of the civil war, the changes are not coming soon enough if at all. Here is an interesting quote from the article: “Emergency maternity care is supposed to be free in Sierra Leone, but in reality, patients are asked to pay for every item, including cotton swabs, gauze and syringes--this in a country where the average income is about $200 a year. If transfusions are needed, relatives have to donate blood to replace what is used.” From my perspective, the hospitals are definitely not at fault, it seems that they are trying their best with what they have, and what most hospitals in Sierra Leone have is a highly understaffed hospital with few medical supplies.

There is some good news however. Aide organizations are promoting women to give birth in clinics which are safer than at-homes births which is what many women traditionally do. A joint investment of about $262 million from the World Bank, UNICEF and the British government to aid in the Sierra Leone healthcare system. Although may not solve all of the problems in Sierra Leone’s health care system it is definitely a start.

You can find the online version of the article here:

• http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1842278-1,00.html

Current Help in Sierra Leone

Throughout these four weeks of research about various social, political and economic aspects in Sierra Leone, one of the major questions that I’ve had was, what are some of the things that people are currently doing to help the country? I’ve spent four weeks learning about the numerous problems and conflicts in Sierra Leone, however I haven’t learned much about what is currently being done now to aide Sierra Leone in its efforts to improve the current state.

While in my search for answers I came upon an organization, or rather a ‘mission’ called Mission Bo. Mission Bo is a project that hopes to create a ‘self sustaining’ community in the region of Sierra Leone known as Bo. Within 15 years Mission Bo plans to aid the region with resources that could provide them with more access to safe drinking water, food, daily habits improvements and an education for the children. Mission Bo was created in association with the organizations Big Stones and World Vision. World Visions has been involved with improving Sierra Leone since 1978 and “Since 1998, World Vision has implemented numerous water and sanitation projects.” As I said in a previous post, many wells were destroyed during the civil war in Sierra Leone but World Vision has applied its workers in to improving and creating over 150 wells. The Bo district specifically, is one of the most populated areas in Sierra Leone and is one of the foremost areas that are in dire need for better water access. World Vision’s Plan and Water Project of 2007 proclaims that the diarrheal diseases are the second highest causes for death within the area. These diseases are caused by the horrible water conditions. Some of the many other facts that I discovered were that:

• The ideal ratio of people to wells is 250 to 1. Currently the ratio in the Mission Bo area is 2,500 to 1.
• 1 out of 3 kids die before the age of 5 due to a water-related disease or poor sanitation.
• Contaminated water and poor sanitation are factors in 80% of all illness in the developing world.

Although I don’t find many of these statistics as shocking as I originally did I do realize that they are still staggering nonetheless in today’s world standards.
I am definitely glad that there are organizations and missions like these that exist in order to help , however I realize that it could never quite be enough. Today, people from “Invisible Children” came to my school. Invisible Children was originally a documentary that opened the world’s eyes to the child soldiers of northern Uganda and it is now an organization that devotes itself to aiding the country’s education system. Schools all over the United States fundraised thousands of dollars (over a million actually) to fund schools in Uganda. That money they raised provided a lot of help towards the schools and a few select students got to see how their contributions helped the Ugandan community. After watching and learning about this I’ve come to realize that although creating documentaries, or raising just enough money for one students to have an education does make a difference. Regardless of the size of an act it is still taking action. I no longer look at Africa Waterways to Peace as just a project for school. The different things we are doing within the project, the documentaries and desalination prototypes, are all steps that we are taking in order to help.

Above: A mother coming from a local river carrying water to use to cook and feed her children.

Links:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEeMzQHsqSo (video about Mission Bo)
• http://www.missionbo.org/getinvolved.html
• http://www.missionbo.org/docs/WaterProject2-2007.pdf (documents the Mission Bo plans)

A Closer Look into Child Soldiers

As mentioned in my previous post (True Satisfaction Or. A Momentary Meal) I wondered about the child soldiers of Sierra Leone. True to my word, I conducted more research on these children of war and gained a better understanding of who, what, where and how they became a part of the war.

WHO and HOW: The RUF abducted children who survived village attacks and after their parents were killed in their very own eyes. The age of these children ranged from nearly eight years old (possibly younger) to kids in their adolescent years. What definitely surprised me was that I didn’t expect that both boys and girls were forced to be a part of the groups. Another staggering fact was that child soldiers were found on both sides of the battlefield being on the front lines of the RUF and the pro-government rebel group Kamajors. I couldn’t believe that the government would allow a group fighting in support of them to use child soldiers.

WHAT and WHERE: There are nearly 300,000 child soldiers around the world, 10,000 of which were in Sierra Leone alone. The RUF camps would train the children within three months, while the Kamajors provided training as well and told the children that they would obtain magical powers called ‘juju’ by following rules. The number one choice weapon for the child soldier; the AK-47. It is light weight, easy to use that “even a child could do it” and can discharge 600 rounds per minute. By using easy to use artillery like the AK-47 rebel groups themselves have an easier time recruiting and training children. Something else that came to mind was that children seem so enthusiastic to join because they have nowhere else to turn to, and nothing else to do. During our group’s interview with Majur Malou, a Sudanese refugee, he stated that there was a lot of violence in the refugee camp he stayed in. He saw many young people holding guns, and fights would start out because of the slightest thing. Majur even said that one of the main causes was boredom. “It was like a fun for them”, Majur claimed, because they had nothing else to do.

Something else that I looked into that I questioned before was what is being done currently to help rehabilitate former child soldiers. Apparently, there are numerous rehabilitation centers and orphanages around Africa, including in Sierra Leone that specialize in this. However I was not able to find what the UN specifically is doing, as well as what other supporting countries to contribute to this cause. I would like to continue on with this information hopefully find an answer soon.

Links Used:

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4500358.stm
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/childrensrights/childrenofconflict/soldier.shtml

True Satisfaction? Or. A Momentary Meal?

After reading the blog of my group mate (Emily Nuthall) I began to wonder about whether the people of Sierra Leone were truly satisfied and whether justice was really served. As Emily discussed in her blog post (A Long Wait for Satisfaction), even though the civil war in Sierra Leone officially ended in January of 2002 peace did not entirely take over all of Sierra Leone. It amazes me that the leader of RUF (Revolutionary United Front) Foday Sankoh died in 2003 before he could truly be punished for the war crimes he committed against the people of Sierra Leone. Over 75,000 people died during the ten year war and nearly 20,000 became amputees as a result of the atrocious mutilations performed by the RUF. I find it very inconvenient for the people of Sierra Leone that the leader of a group that has caused so much grief for Sierra Leone died before justice could truly be exercised. In the article that Emily referenced, it always describes how throughout the year of 2004 war crime trials began and by June of 2007 there were only three militia leaders that were found guilty. Although I believe it to be great news that three militia leaders would formally be punished for their crimes, it still shocks me that just three were found guilty. Although I do not know the exact numbers of militia leaders, I can guarantee that there were many more militia leaders as well as soldiers who are as guilty and accountable of the war crimes that were committed in Sierra Leone.

All of these facts then lead me to the question, are the people of Sierra Leone truly satisfied with the results of the civil war. Although peace seems to be spreading throughout the country, it almost seems like the satisfaction that the people of Sierra Leone isn’t entirely there. It is as if after the war, the people of Sierra Leone were given a “momentary meal”; a meal that will satisfy them for a moment until once again they realize their hunger for true justice. The war may be over, but its long lasting effects may never go away. One thing that particularly strikes and concerns me is the effects the war had and continues to have on the child soldiers. "For child soldiers, the crisis in Sierra Leone is far from over”, Peter Takirambudde says. I think that his words ring very true. I wonder whether there are any rehabilitation centers for former child soldiers. What happens to the child soldiers who became to engulfed in the war and continue to have violent behavior? What are other countries doing to support Sierra Leone’s efforts in recuperating former children of war? These are all questions that I hope to further explore once I’ve conducted enough research. Stay posted for any new material or information.

Foday Sankoh beside a child amputee.

Works Referenced:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1065898.stm
http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T001&prodId=SRC-1&docId=EJ2309004022&source=gale&srcprod=SRCG&userGroupName=sand07018&version=1.0
(INFORTRAC source)
http://www.hrw.org/press/2000/05/sl0531.htm

Picture Source: http://apscuhuru.org/analysis/sierra-leone-statement_2007-08-01/index.xhtml

Civil War: A Never Ending Cycle?

While researching on INFOTRAC I came across a few articles that furthered my understanding of Sierra Leone’s ten year civil war. The war officially ended on January 18, 2002 which is over ten years since rebels from the Revolutionary United Front invaded east Sierra Leone in March 1991.

The civil war has had and continues to have a lasting impact on the people of Sierra Leone. Over two million people were displaced and half a million people were killed in the conflict. There were many issues that contributed to the start of the civil war; however it was Sierra Leone’s natural resources that caused the civil war to last so long. Blood diamonds paved the way for the RUF to have such power over Sierra Leone and it also created a cycle that seemed would never end. It was only eight years after the civil war began and Sierra Leone’s diamond industry thrived more than ever that the UN prohibited the purchase of diamonds from Sierra Leone. The UN also sent over 17,000 peace keepers from places all over the globe, which eventually cost the UN $700 million annually to sustain the mission.

Before and after the war Sierra Leone’s standing didn’t seem very bright. The country is ranked to be one of the poorest in the world being last of the countries in Africa with the lowest per capita income. The average Sierra Leonean earns about 20 cents a day and 70% of the people live below the poverty line (as of 2004). Over half of the population is under 14 years old, yet Sierra Leone’s education system has practically malfunctioned. The literacy rate is about 35%. With no real proper education it almost seems inevitable that so many children are drawn into war to become child soldiers. There is one doctor per 11,000 people, most doctors of which live in the capitol of Freetown. With staggering facts like these it is no wonder that Sierra Leone is haunted by conflict and civil war. All of these things contribute to the vulnerability of Sierra Leone when the civil war began and even after the civil war there is little progress.

Bibliography:

• https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sl.html#Govt
• http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T001&prodId=SRC-1&docId=EJ2309004022&source=gale&srcprod=SRCG&userGroupName=sand07018&version=1.0
• http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T001&prodId=SRC-1&docId=EJ2359070210&source=gale&srcprod=SRCG&userGroupName=sand07018&version=1.0

Resounding Words: An Interview with Majur Malou

Every once in a while in a person’s life, there comes a time when they meet someone who just has a significant impact on you, someone whose voice resounds in your head even after years since your last encounter. It’s been almost a week since I met Majur Malou and I have not been able to keep his words out of my mind since.

When we first entered the building that Monday morning, I had no real idea of what to expect. I knew the name of the person who we were going to interview yet there was still a sense of mystery. I was definitely nervous because I have never done a formal interview before. Jessica, Emily and I opened the door to Suite 603 and we came across what seemed to be an empty office. However, as we made our way into the room, Majur Malou was waiting for us in his office. We all greeted him, felt the grip of his firm handshake and took in his image. He nearly towered over me standing at about 6 feet tall, his skin a radiant blue-black and there was a tint of yellow in his eyes. After introductions were made, we all began to know the man who sat in front of us.

Majur Malou came to the United States on June 21, 1995 after spending years in a refugee camp on the border between Kenya and Somalia. His experiences in the camp were unpleasant to say the least. “It’s like sitting in a prison” he claimed. Majur went into the camp in his adolescence and he joined due to the civil war in Sudan and the horrific events that accompanied it. Prior to the civil war, Majur and his family led a satisfying and happy life. They didn’t have much and Majur was the only member of his family to receive an education. Growing up, education was of the utmost importance to him and it was his first priority in life. He knew that one day he would be someone important and that his education would take him where he needed to be. Another one of his driving forces was his admiration for Nelson Mandela. He proved to be a role model for him and Majur wished that others would imitate Nelson Mandela and his advocacy for peace.

After learning about some of the general things about Majur and his childhood, the questions that I asked led into a much deeper conversation about his personal life, experiences and his insight on different subjects was enlightening. He struck me as a very intelligent and intuitive man, because he spoke with such confidence and exuberance. Many of the things that he said evoked so much emotion from me that at one point I almost broke into tears. When asked about his feelings towards the Sudanese government, Majur’s immediate reaction was negative. “The role of the government is to protect its citizens not to kill or torture…” he said sternly. When he showed us the scars on his arms, I didn’t know what to say. All I felt was a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. What made me feel even worse was that I knew that those scars would never go away. The scars that the Sudanese government inflicted on Majur would always be there as a reminder of their brutal treatment, not only to him but to his beloved country and countrymen. He lightly started to cry after showing us his scars and I couldn’t help but follow suit. I could only imagine the hardship that he went through and I will never truly know or fully understand what it was like for him. At this point it was almost hard for me to continue on with the interview because it seemed only polite to wait to ask any more questions.

Meeting Majur was definitely a very enlightening experience. All of the statements he said had an interesting twist and perspective. He is very aware of the mechanisms of society and one of the many wise things that he said was, “Life is not money alone. Sometimes it is better to have little… The less you have the happier you are”. Although this statement may seem simple at first, I had to contemplate long and hard about it. To me, what he said is true. From what I’ve seen and heard the driving force for much of the conflict of the world is greed. Our want to keep wanting more. Majur explained it to be like when people have a new car, they are then compelled to buy the next best model car. That people just keep wanting the best new thing out there and will go through any means possible to gain them.

The knowledge I gained from Majur Malou can’t be found anywhere else or from anyone else. Through his eyes I gained a deeper understanding of the ways of mankind and a history of a people. There is a huge gap between learning about an event through words in an article and then hearing them from someone who lived through it. Before this interview I considered myself to be someone who was well educated on global issues and had a wide perspective on them. However this interview shaped my perspective to be even broader. From this experience I take with me a new outlook on the world and an urge to take more action and provide my services to a cause. I too want to do my part as an individual. As Majur said, “I do my part as an individual. But an individual part is limited”.

“It will take all of us to make a change…”

Of Diamonds and Blood

Throughout the past few days I conducted some in depth research on specific events throughout the history of Sierra Leone. One specific aspect of Sierra Leone’s history that intrigued me the most was the topic of “Blood Diamonds” or “Conflict Diamonds”. Essentially, conflict diamonds are diamonds mined by forced workers (under the rule of rebel groups) and through rebel movements to continuously fund their arms purchases. Conflict diamonds ring true to their name, because it is because of their allure and wealth that Sierra Leone along with other countries are under such grief circumstances today.

Sierra Leone’s world-wide diamond trade began in the 1930s when the London based company of De Beers got legal power over diamond mining for the next almost 100 years. Freetown played an essential role in the diamond industry as it was the diamond export center of Sierra Leone. This then became a catalyst for what was yet to come. Throughout the next 60 years, the diamond trade would rise and fall however most of the diamond trade came from illegal mining. Near the end of the 20^th century, under Prime Minister Joseph Momoh illegitimate diamond mining increased and thrived prevalently throughout Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone was incredibly vulnerable by 1991, and by March of that year a civil war began. The Revolutionary United Front (RUF) was a rebel group who would took control of Sierra Leone and its black market diamond industry.

One of the main things that shocked me while researching, was that by the 1950’s the government almost “gave up” regulating the diamond trade and because of this monitoring it now proves to be difficult. The RUF knew that to rule the diamond districts would be to rule all of Sierra Leone. There is an undeniable connection between the conflict Sierra Leone experiences today and the diamonds found under its soil. The RUF used many tactics in order to gain control over regions. It is said that they have broken every law within the Geneva convention and even created a new form of violating them.

The life of a diamond-miner is filled with hardship. They work from sunrise to sunset. Many of the miners are shot and killed if ever they so much as take a 5 minute break. They are shot if they try to find food, if they refuse to turn over a diamond, or if they escape. What is even more concerning is that workers have to “use the toilet” right in the already dirty rivers they work in. This in turn contributes to the ever more growing concern of water quality in Sierra Leone.

Additional Information:

· 10-15% or higher of the world’s diamond trade are blood diamonds

· Average income of a miner: a dollar a day

· From 1991-1999 (during the civil war) there were over 75,000 casualties, 500,000 were refugees and half of the population was displaced.

· In 2000, a treaty was signed between RUF and the government, saying that RUF would relinquish their forces for a share in Sierra Leone’s government.

· However, this peace was short lived and after seven months of the signing of the treaty, RUF forces once again assaulted the capitol of Freetown as well as the government.

· Sierra Leonean Army nicknamed “Sobels”, which significance is “rebels by day, soldiers by night”

Definitely makes you think twice before buying an engagement ring.

Bibliography:

http://www.stanford.edu/class/e297c/Conflict%20in%20Sierra%20Leone.htm

http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=Minisite_Generic&content_type_id=52827&display_order=2&mini_id=52826

Videos:

http://www.history.com/video.do?name=worldhistory&bcpid=1681730306&bclid=1672160781

Blood Diamonds: A Diamond in the Hand, War Crimes, A Personal History, Beyond the Blood Shed