Sweet Salone Part 1
According to statistics Sierra Leone is the poorest country in the world. With a population of just over 6 million, and a life expectancy of approximately 40 years, I was eager to see for myself what the statistics really represented.
Having previously worked in Tanzania, and the Gambia, I was prepared for poverty, but what I wasn’t prepared for was that in just a few days, Sierra Leone would shake me to the core, would push me to my limits and make me question my own reality.
Sierra Leone is known for its diamonds and its bloody civil war. What it should be known for is quite different. Let me tell you the story of Hannah Grace Gillen who works for our partner organisation, SLYEO.
Hannah is 49 years old. She works for the Sierra Leone Youth Empowerment Organisation as a Human Right's Officer. She’s also a lay preacher for the Anglican church and married to a devout Muslim. Hannah has 5 children, 2 of whom are Christians and 3 are Muslim (how about that for religious tolerance?!).
On a daily basis Hannah visits Freetown's police station and prisons. She ensures that those arrested are either charged or released. She makes sure that there is no overcrowding in prison cells (only 15 per cell!!) and she ensures that prisoners receive their basic rights – food, clothes and washing facilities. Without Hannah, conditions could be much worse. I asked what kind of crimes are these people arrested for? Loitering was one, as was civil disobedience (think ASBO), also fighting in the street. Those sentenced can either pay a fine of 100,000 Leones or spend 3 months in prison. The prisons are fit to burst.
Hannah was recently flown to The Hague to take part in Charles Taylor's trial – she was asked to ensure that there was no political interference, that the witnesses weren’t being intimidated. The stories that she can tell are horrendous – tales of what happened during the war. Hannah believes that you should forgive, but not forget. I wonder if I could forgive if I was in her situation.
Without Hannah, there would be much more human right's abuse in the prisons of Freetown. Her position is supported by Village Aid.
The 10th December was Human Right's Day, this went by without much notice, partly because we are so lucky. We don’t have to stand up for our rights. Hannah is standing up for many people's rights. I am writing this on her behalf.
Ediatu Tholley was a rebel spokesperson during the civil war. Through training provided by SLYEO – Village Aid’s partner, she is now a school teacher, who in her spare time teaches adults as part of SLYEO’s network of facilitators.
If you’ve ever wondered what exactly Village Aid does, this is just a small example. We may not have something concrete that you can take a photo of, but we’re working with people who are passionate about working for a better future, rich in humour, work ethic and smiles, and the desire never to be at war again.