Just when you thought it was safe...

...to go back in the water. That we need a bigger boat. A tremendous shock happened yesterday. OK, not quite 'Jaws', but scary all the same. What could it be? Well, how about catching, completely by accident, your mother-in-law in her oversized bloomers? Sacre bleu. Last time I saw that much silk, I was dangling underneath it. Will undoubtedly have a lasting effect on me...

Let me try and push that frightening image, and thoughts of parachuting, completely to the back of my mind...

Let's instead return to 26th March. The day before lockdown. The second school donation. 40 more children. 40 more sets of text books. 40 more stationary packs. 40 more school uniforms.

Great news. A real turning point. Schools in Sierra Leone have been gradually reopening this past week. Including schools containing the 80 children we have assisted. Attendance countrywide has been patchy. Will take time to return to normal levels. Schools have been closed for 9 months because of Ebola.

A definite turning point, patchy or not. New cases recorded last week numbered just six. The lowest total for nearly a year.

However, we should not forget that in Sierra Leone nearly 4,000 people have died from Ebola. There's been over 12,000 cases. Heartbreakingly more than 9,000 children have been orphaned. The human cost has been incredibly high.

Let's get on with the school delivery. What about this little fellow? Let me introduce Emmanuel Cummings. Year 4. Confident, bright, and complete with his dad's waistcoat. Lovely welcome speech too. Tucked under Emmanuel's arm is my welcome gift. See final photo below. My turn as the Senegalese lottery winner.

As is custom we begin with prayers. Followed by succinct welcome statements. We had a good chairman today. The speakers focus on the importance of education. They mention the problems. Schools in poor repair. Poor hygiene and sanitation. Often no latrines. No running water. No electricity. Leaking roofs. Poor pay and incentives for teachers. Overcrowding. Sometimes 3 classes in the same room. Poor security, no perimeter fencing. Often two shifts of children a day. Young children working outside school to help support family budgets.

The positives. The children are a happy bunch, same as most places. They don't know what they don't have.

We have sufficient funds remaining for perhaps another 2 - 3 donations. We look forward to those. Never believed for one minute that we would endure this long. Thanks once again to everyone who has contributed and made this possible. Thanks as always to both divas. Talking of which, Senior Diva has miraculously grown hair since we started all this, and Baby Diva has a new member of the team arriving in August. Quite the 6 months...

Great work again as well by Violet from ‘Save the Needy Sierra Leone'. Such superb organisation, commitment, and good humour, especially at short notice. Thank you Violet.

Senior Diva above. Emmanuel, I know, I've been there...

As for me, I'm currently in UK enjoying Easter break. 3 weeks. Good rest. Good family times. Taggart, my tight-arsed Scottish neighbour, is in China cheering up the locals no doubt. Highlight of this break is tomorrow. Travelling to London by train. Reading vs. Arsenal; FA Cup semi final at Wembley. Reading's first since 1927. Taggart was in short trousers. Let's hope the wait is worth it. 'H' is pretty excited.

Next Wednesday (22nd April) return to Africa. A quick hello to Freetown, then to Ghana end of April. Looking forward to Accra. Couple of previous posts from there. Next one as well.

See you in Ghana.

Don’t forget to follow on Twitter: @roadrunnertns

P.S. Thanks Emmanuel...

‘Lockdown in Freetown 3… Latest Installment’

Two things happening. Yesterday we completed another school delivery. Second, a third lockdown began 0600 hrs this morning; we are confined to our homes for the next 72 hours. The first countrywide lockdown since last Sept. Unbelievably, that was 6 dark months ago. Wet season. Where’s the time gone? My road (The Loop), early this morning...

As covered in recent posts, we're no longer in the dark days of Aug - Dec. However, the last 10% of Ebola is proving stubborn. This drastic measure is meant to help us over the finishing line. The chequered flag means 42 days without a new case. These days Ebola’s reduced to isolated pockets and mini flare ups. The daily death toll has returned to single digits mostly, following an increase into the teens for a while. Same for new cases. We haven’t begun the count yet…

Even the UN has said this tragedy will be finished by August, across the sub region. Even the UN? Well, together with their cohorts, WHO & CDC, they haven’t been the most reliable throughout this crisis.

The Jeremy Clarkson rubbish. A fracas? Really?

Now this is a proper fracas. Sierra Leone has been in the news recently for the ‘removal’ of the Vice President. This saga, despite everything else happening in the country, rumbles on. Bodyguard of the VP dies from Ebola. VP quarantines himself. President fires VP. Government claims he isn’t a bona fide Muslim, and his Master’s Degree is bogus. VP refutes allegations. VP goes ‘missing’. VP claims his life is in danger. VP seeks political asylum in US Embassy, or elsewhere. President fires him again for seeking asylum and being absent from duty. Appoints a new VP. Critics claim unconstitutional. Opposition up in arms. Government sticking to its guns. Only in West Africa...

After watching the Cameron / Milliband ‘debate’ last evening (“Hell, yeah I’m tough”), which could've sent a glass eye to sleep, you realise the raw fascination of African politics. Never a dull moment in the pursuit of power.

Yesterday a mad scramble prepping for lockdown. I rarely cook in my apartment. I rarely shop. A shock to the system. So much to do. Was there credit on the meter for electricity (you never know, might be power)? When does DSTV (cable) run out? Need a phone recharge? Need Internet installed in my apartment prior to lockdown. You’ll remember I’ve recently moved. Divas - thanks as always. Could I really survive without you both? All lastminute.com. Enough protein?

In the September lockdown I was fortunate to spend 4 days at the Radisson. The ‘Aid Circus’ was starting to arrive, you could obtain 4 nights for $500 with plenty of extras. ‘Hi De Hi’ for a few days. Aerobics, water polo in the deck side pool, film matinees, tennis competition, knobbly knees, happy hour, and live music... quite surreal…  No such offers this time. The hotel is now full of the ‘Aid Circus’.

Talking of my meter. In Sierra Leone, what’s the difference between NPA (National Power Authority – meaning electricity) and an eclipse of the sun? Well, we’ve had an eclipse most recently…

Spending the first day of lockdown in my new apartment has been good. First 14 hours over. Imagine still being in Rigsby’s place? The landlord with no heart. The landlord with no compassion. Cockroach infested, mice everywhere. Last seen in Miami. A landlord who couldn’t give a mouse’s arse…. the guy should be in prison.

Excuse me, the sun is over the yardarm. Let me open a bottle of something (rat poison in the last place) as I fine tune this post. Cheers… good health… (SK - this to you and the boys in Miami)...



Thanks for reading the last post. Took the total viewings past 12,500. Some movement in the top 10. In fact, a new country tops the leaderboard. From the outset it’s been the UK. Now surpassed by the US. France has moved into the top 5. Zimbabwe slipping a place. Canada remains number 3, Sierra Leone at 4. New entry at number 10, Switzerland. Ghana drops out. Thanks to everyone, wherever you are reading.

Over the next couple of days, while lockdown continues, I’ll write up the second school delivery. 3 posts in 3 months, now 2 in 3 days. A wonderful day yesterday, photos like this… Emmanuel Cummings, of Year 2, chats with Senior Diva… (Emmanuel, I know, I've been there...).

Easter is coming. Fly out next Weds. April fool’s day. UK via Belgium. To my Belgian brothers who work at Brussels Airport, I say this… only kidding. Love Belgium.

Since the Sept lockdown and now, I’ve been home once, Christmas. ‘O’, ‘H’, & ‘Tea Cake’ - see you soon. And to my Mother-in-Law, I say this… ugh, see you next week…

Footnote: To friends and colleagues in Freetown, go well over lockdown..., and a special shout out to 'Ops' in Lunsar. Keep up the good work...

Lots more on Twitter: @roadrunnertns

Education, Education, Education...

Education, Education, Education…

Before we start, let’s wrap up some loose ends. First, we have a new character. Ladies & gentlemen, I give you… ‘The Belgian’. You realise when you receive an email that begins, ‘Oi you’, you’re in trouble. ‘The Belgian’ took exception to some of my views. Let me provide balance by pointing out some interesting facts about Belgium. It’s about far more than beer, chocolate and Brussels being home to that value for money institution, The European Union.

Belgium’s the country that first introduced us to sax, as in saxophone of course; then later from the wind section… sprouts. Also, Napoleon met his final Waterloo here 1815, south of Brussels. OK, Belgium didn’t actually exist then. It did 30 years later though, when Karl Marx was inspired to write the Communist Manifesto. Obviously more to this country than first meets the eye…

We’ve all been at a dinner party when someone has said name a famous Belgian? Right? Perhaps at more highbrow parties where they shoot for three famous Belgians? Haven’t we? I’m going to try four, here we go…

… the tall fellow with the funny hair who occasionally plays for Manchester United quite poorly, what’s his name… Fellaini. Then there’s the chap who invented Bakelite … Leo Baekeland …. two more… easy, The Smurfs are from Belgium. One more…. come on, keep thinking…

Other loose ends. Well, Taggart, my miserly scrooge like Scottish next door neighbour, has really taken the wind out my sails this time. He’s only gone and made a second donation to the ‘Food Basket Appeal’ (FBA). A whole 25 Guineas & 10 Shillings this time.

A second time donation was also made last week by ‘Canadian Sumo’, a big … hearted N. American lawyer. He visited Sierra Leone in 2012 and broke one of our beds. CR, you’re welcome back any time my friend. Your support has been outstanding. Bring a reinforced hammock. Oh, and it was Senior Diva who reminded me of the collapsing bed escapade.

On a serious note, thank you both for those recent donations and to everyone who’s contributed so generously. The blog has raised over $12,600.

What you’re about to read cost around $1,000. Total spending from the fund is now $8.3k. We’ll keep going as long as we can. Every penny of this amount has been given by family, friends, and readers. I feel responsible. Every cent has been carefully spent. The change of emphasis is now to support education.

Two Fridays ago we made the first school delivery. Next one planned for this Thursday (26th). Three days before the donation we toured some of the schools. While at Huntingdon Primary (below), a church sponsored school in Goderich southeast Freetown, we couldn’t escape the constant sound of hammers on rocks. A distinctive sound in Freetown.

We already knew this was a deprived area. Poor children attend this school. Even then some are too poor to attend. The parents cannot afford the uniform, or the text books required. We followed the sound. Took us into an area with maybe 20 people breaking up rocks to sell. Most were children. Most were young. I was drawn to Kabba Conteh. He’s 9 years old. Same age as my daughter, ‘Tea Cake’. You might remember TC from a post last summer in the States. She wants a guest runner slot. She’s in training. She’s plenty to say, an apprentice diva in the making.

Kabba was sat cheerfully working away with his grandmother (below). He had a pleasant demeanour and a winning smile. I watched him for some time as I engaged with the family. I asked to take a couple of photos and in return bought three buckets of stones. I donated the stones back. Most times, as you walk away, you know you’ll never see these people again. Life just moves on. Bring a little cheer. Move on...

This time was different…

I should mention Violet from ‘Save the Needy Sierra Leone’ who did an amazing job organising everything. She was the star. The plan was to select 40 of the poorest children from a number of junior (primary) government schools in the area. We’d provide the text books they’d need for their respective year. Material for a school uniform, and stationary – exercise books, pencils, pens, rulers, rubbers, that sort of thing.

The ceremony took place at Agape School Hall, Goderich. It's 0930 hrs, and already sweltering. We began with prayers. Then a lovely welcome song from the children (below). This followed by an amusing skit by the children on why attending school is important. Some of us then said a few words and introduced ourselves. Belmon Renner, one of the schoolgirls, presented me with a bouquet of flowers. They went straight to Baby Diva to help celebrate some big news she has. This will be revealed in a future post, perhaps around August. Next the distribution by Mrs. Edith Kpendema, assisted by Natalie Cole (below in pink), our very own Senior Diva. Because this was a Friday both Divas were naturally dressed as Senegalese lottery winners.

The children came forward individually with huge smiles and collected their text books and stationary, and the cloth to make a uniform. A tailor was present to measure them. He will make the uniforms. Parents also attended, as well some volunteers from Violet’s organisation. Finally, everyone received a decent meal and a drink. An uplifting morning. $1,000 can do so much. 

Conditions in these schools; no running water, no power, no toilets, no secure perimeter, no meals in some schools. When the rains come these roofs will leak. Two shifts of classes usually; early morning until lunchtime, then the second shift. Sometimes three classes in the same room separated with dividers, the list goes on.

Despite everything the children are a happy bunch, like most kids most places. They don’t know of the things they don’t have. Schools have been closed since last June. Imagine this where you live.

Kabba Konteh. He turned about to be one of the 40 today. Now, this is one happy special little boy. He’s in Class 3 at Huntingdon Primary School. He has 8 siblings. If just one of them 'makes it'…

Seeing his face in this photo made it all feel worthwhile. This was completely unexpected. The children and invited guests had their meal and drink. We slipped away, Baby Diva with her bouquet, and drove back 30 minutes to the office. Some reflection on the way back…

Footnote 1: The schools are not opening at the end of March as planned. Probably September at the earliest. The final 10% of the curse of Ebola is proving stubborn. There’s another 3 day lockdown (the third one) beginning next Friday. The emergency measures have been extended until year end. The economy is in ruins. More in the next post…

Footnote 2: I’ve made it through without mentioning the French, my Mother-in-Law, or Robert Mugabe. How about I rectify this by mentioning at least 2 of them in one sentence.

So, what’s the difference between my Mother-in-Law and Robert Mugabe? Well, one is an elderly dictator who rules with a rod of iron. The other is… the President of Zimbabwe…

Footnote 3: Ha, that last famous Belgian… phew, have it… Tintin. Not nearly as difficult as I thought…

Footnote 4: ‘O’, I miss you…

Don’t forget to follow on Twitter: @roadrunnertns

No long gap to the next post this time, something to do on lockdown… see you real soon...

 

'Early Morning Run in... Worst Cities in the World'

I recently discovered a report from the Economist global “liveability” study. The report listed the world's top 10 cities to live, and the ten worst. Apparently, they base the survey on how 'tolerable' it is to live in a particular place given crime levels, the threat of conflict, quality of medical care, levels of censorship, temperature, schools and transport links.

I always approach the ‘worst list’ with a little apprehension. Will Freetown be included? Shouldn't be. Not against this criteria. We all moan about Freetown. Every single day. We feel entitled. The Economist? They probably popped over for a couple of days, the sort of folk who’d moan there was no Wi-Fi in the Garden of Eden.

Freetown was omitted from the list. However, five African cities do fly the flag. Three from West Africa. Abidjan, Doula & Lagos. The worst city overall? Port Moresby. Been there a few times, pretty awful. 

Come on though… how on earth can Damascus not be included? What about Juba? Kabul? Tripoli? Milton Keynes? Mogadishu? What about Basingstoke? Karachi?

How is Abidjan on the list? I like the city a lot...

The best cities? Unsurprisingly, most are in Canada & Australia. How can London not be near the top? Paris? What about Norwich?

I moved apartment last week. Only two miles away but to another world on Spur Loop. No setting mousetraps every evening. No more cockroaches. Fewer electricity/generator problems. No more, ‘the water bowser hasn’t turned up'. Rigsby, as bad as you were, I'm going to miss you. I’ve now inherited joint landlords. Perhaps not the most charismatic of fellows; but hey, let’s give the Chuckle Brothers a chance.

Spur Loop is an excellent road surface, smooth as a baby’s bottom, relatively speaking when compared to elsewhere in Freetown. Many are as rough as my Mother-in-Laws bum, probably. I have to be careful with the wording; the previous post remains with her solicitor.

I’ve also received ‘fan mail’ from my neighbour, who pointed out that the ‘tight-arsed Scottish neighbour’ quip in the last post, should have been hyphenated when used as an offensive adjective. Sorted. Taggart also mentioned possible defamation of character and his solicitor and the potential impact on his career as a ‘Meals on Wheels’ driver within our local community.

I’ve mentioned Graham Greene before. His most acclaimed book featured Sierra Leone, ‘The Heart of the Matter’. He first came to Sierra Leone in 1933 with his cousin, Barbara Greene. He set off from Freetown for his travelogue to Liberia, ‘Journeys Without Maps’. Greene made a return visit in 1968. He said Freetown was a place for failures. Harsh? True? He wrote, “A home from home for men who had not encountered success at any turn of the long road and who no longer expected.” Greene was considered a great writer. ‘The Honorary Consul’ & ‘Our Man in Havana’ were among his other books...

Many British Army officers were inspired by Greene and wrote versions of his classic book. Memorable efforts such as, 'Clueless with a Map', 'Which Way Round is the Map', and the unforgettable 'Journeys with no Idea'.  

… to more serious matters. The Ebola gains continue. Cases are down nearly 90%. It was always likely the last 10% would be the most difficult. Sierra Leone remains the most affected, but improvement is everywhere. Strange how 11 new cases in a day and six dead is positive? Life in Africa is sadly cheap. Was it Lenin who said, one death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic.

Remember the hysteria in the US last year after a couple of reported cases. Remember WHO & CDC competing for the worse case scenario award. The people who made those dire predictions should be accountable. Businesses folded. Economies devastated. Many expatriates and foreign investors fled. Most airlines stopped flying entirely unnecessarily. Why? Fear of fear itself and crisis management by social media. We now have only one direct flight remaining to Europe. And, let’s face it, who wants to fly to Belgium? Steady on; I do in early April… home to the UK for Easter.

Here’s a sobering stat, 5,692 children in Sierra Leone have lost one parent, and 2,276 both parents. The devastation left behind is incredible. Recovery in so many aspects will be uneven. I hope the international community remains fully committed.

With this in mind, the Food Basket Appeal is shifting focus. Schools closed since last July. They are scheduled to begin reopening in the third week of March. A lovely lady, who once temped for me, helps in a registered organisation, ‘Save the Needy'. The FBA will donate Le 5m (~$1,000) of the remaining fund. We'll help schools along the peninsula, southeast of Freetown.

The money will help towards textbooks, exercise books, school supplies (pens, pencils etc.) & uniforms. There will be eight schools involved. 



'Another Early Morning Run in... Freetown'

A strange choice for the title of this post, perhaps? The reason? Well, things in Sierra Leone are on the up. The fightback has begun in earnest. Optimism is in the air. Optimism is in this post. The tipping point for Ebola is behind us. The dark days have gone. Later...

The opening post of 2015. I returned to Freetown complete with my luxury items in mid-Jan. Resupply of coffee beans. Check. Some new books on my Kindle. Check. New tunes. Check. Cash (no plastic here). Check. My mother-in-law is a fruitcake. Check. I think that sentence is framed correctly. Best to last... Captain Morgan Rum. A dash with my evening cocoa, some in the hip flask for out in the boonies. As I waved goodbye to my village, I could see my tight-arsed Scottish neighbour was visibly moved. I’ll miss Taggart...

Really need to do a run in this post. Been a while. Let’s go... 

Out of the sack 40 mins before first light. Coffee. Wake up the computer and skip through the headlines on BBC Africa. What’s this? Senior Ghanaian official wears wife’s brown fur coat on a Presidential trip to Germany. Hmm. Mali declared Ebola-free. Kids heading back to school in Liberia & Guinea. Sierra Leone new cases down from a daily average of 100 in November, to under 20 now and falling. Tremendous news. Stretch to Kris MacCormack on Capital Radio SL 104.9 FM. Tells us, listeners, it’s already 25C. Thanks, Kris... I’m ready... 

Many of the 2014 posts featured exotic and exciting locations all over Africa. Today? Back to grassroots time. Let me take you around my neighbourhood. The place where I live. The Maze. King Street. Wilberforce. Freetown. Western Area. Sierra Leone. West Africa. Africa. You'll need a large envelope. Prepare yourselves for the sights and sounds...

0615 hrs. Still dark. Slip quietly out the large metal gates covered in barbed wire. Try not to wake-up security. Quiet. Fortunately, we have NPA (National Power Agency or No Power Anymore – as you prefer…) this morning. No generator sounds to disturb the calm. This is my thinking time. Still reflecting on General Mosquito (as he’s known in Ghana) in his wives fur coat. I knew plenty of guys in the military who wore woman’s clothes. OK, most of them were in the band or the Royal Marines. And to be fair, it’s a little chilly in Germany at this time of year for the average African.

A neighbour comes out of his metal gate with a huge tray of freshly baked bread rolls. Smells really good. He carries it effortlessly on his head. We exchange greetings.

A good sized group of street cleaners are out sweeping with home-made brushes. The type where you bend right over. My back is sore watching them. They see me a lot. We exchange greetings.

  

I jog slowly down The Maze and along the Old Railway Line. Turn right, move downhill on King St. Heading north. Steep descent. Not yet 0630 hrs, people everywhere beginning the daily pattern of life. Only a few cars. Most folk moving on foot. Early morning jobs to be done. People heading to collect water from the standpoint halfway down King St. Every type of container imaginable. All very colourful. Mostly, children, this is their job. You need to be up early. As they say; you snooze… you lose.

  

Many stray dogs around. Most are in poor shape. They seldom bark. Few are pets. The early morning sounds come mostly comes from the roosters, also known as cockerels or cocks. There’s a large one on the usual corner. I’ve taken to calling him, Archie. Not sure why. 

King St. is a mess, potholes everywhere. Either side of the road is a storm drain half filled with garbage. There is no pavement. There are no streetlights. You have to very careful not to go over the edge, especially at night...

Oh, hang on a minute...

I turn left at Congo Cross roundabout and head-up Signal Hill. Snap a few photos on my Smartphone (mostly on lap 2 when the light was better). My ex-Army colleagues are always asking for more pictures and fewer words on the blog. Many of them struggle, we were in the infantry…

To the left, my dry cleaners. Samuel’s place. Samuel I say, “light starch, no creases in any trousers.” Samuel likes his starch. If he puts a crease in your jeans, it’s there for life. Next door, the Bureau de Change. Samuels place. Different Sam.

Time to push on up Signal Hill. Steep. I see tremendous views of the Atlantic Ocean. As I climb, and over my right shoulder, there’s RFA Argus. The Royal Navy ship supporting the Ebola crisis. Looks good proudly anchored up in the bay. 0630 hrs. Knowing the senior service as I do, these Jolly Jacks have another 3 hours in their bunks. On my left, the local hotel. Not sure what Trip Advisor makes of it.

 

Taxis and okadas (motorbike taxis) abound. Vintage Nissan Sunny taxis held together with string and tape in some cases, spouting fumes, with their distinctive coloured quadrants of yellow and blue. The drivers are suffering. To reduce Ebola transmission risk, they are only allowed one pax in the front and 2 in the back. This is about 2 thirds less than usual. No wonder they’re suffering.

I‘m always drawn to this house overlooking Freetown and the ocean. I round the bend and onto the tarmac road. Decent homes and offices on both sides. On the left is where many of the European Union types live. I often wonder what they do all day. Knowing these Euro types as I do, they have another 4 hours in their boudoirs. I was cueing up a French joke there; however, my readership in France has now overtaken Zimbabwe and moved into number 5 of the top 10 countries. The blog is a hit in France. Un grand merci a tout le monde en France qui le blog. Se il vous plait pardonnez mes jokes precedentes. Je vous aime tous. Merci.

As I approach the top of Signal Hill, I’m breathing hard. It’s a stiff climb. I veer right into Wilberforce village. The reason is to come out facing east. The sunrise… A quick snap, take it in… Head downhill back towards my apartment. That’s lap 1. Feeling good, so 2 laps this morning. The time, around 40 mins. The distance around 5 miles. Good run this morning. Right, get into the morning routine. Check the mousetraps (must have another word with the landlord), coffee, eggs… life’s good here in Freetown… 

The aim of this post has been to get back to running and give an upbeat assessment of the current status in the fight against Ebola. I’ve touched on some of the good news above. The indicators across the board are extremely encouraging everywhere you look. It’s moved beyond cautious optimism. The fight is being won. 13 out of the 15 counties in Liberia are now reporting Ebola free. Schools are reopening mid Feb in Liberia and in Sierra Leone 3rd week of March. Schools have been closed since July.

In Sierra Leone there are 13 districts. Two have now reported 42 clear days without new cases. Average cases this past 2 weeks are around 10 - 12. Today’s stats are fairly typical; 8 dead and 11 new cases. Yesterday was 8 dead and 8 new cases. In fact, new cases have dropped by over half from Dec. There will undoubtedly be setbacks, new flare ups and it may be a while yet before the whole country is free from new cases of Ebola. However, the indicators are undeniably good. Everywhere in Freetown still has to be closed at 1800 hrs and nowhere can open on a Sunday. This is shops, restaurants, coffee shops, everywhere in fact. These restrictions are slowly being lifted. The price of petrol was also cut by 17% last week by the government, which brought plenty of cheer. There’s talk of the airlines coming back, countries are reopening borders… there’s plenty of good news after months of bad. 

On that theme it was joyous news that UK nurse Pauline Cafferkey was recently discharged from hospital. Sadly a 43 year old Cuban nurse Reinaldo Antigua died recently of Malaria. She had come to Sierra Leone to fight Ebola. The toll medical frontline personnel have taken is horrendous. 488 medics have died of Ebola in West Africa; the highest number in Sierra Leone (221 deaths out of 296 infected). As this cruel virus is gradually defeated I’ll reflect in the next post the devastation left behind. A battered economy being the main result. 

What of the Food Basket Appeal? First, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed. To-date we’ve raised over $12k through this blog. We still have around $5k to spend. The next post will be another contribution of some kind. The response has evolved as many others have filled the gaps, this included us with the food baskets. There remains plenty of need. One key area and a major concern is the huge number of orphans. It’s entirely possible we look in this direction, or help others who’re already working to this end. Children returning to school is another challenging area. We might do school packs or help pay fees. Rest assured the money you’ve given will be spent wisely and to maximum effect. The fund remains open to any new contributions.

I’ve enjoyed taking you all around my neighbourhood this morning. Indeed, ‘A Happy New Year From Freetown’. 2015 has to be better than 2014… here’s hoping…

Freetown Christmas Hamper Delivery 2014

Festive edition. The final post for this year, featuring the 4th food basket delivery. However, with a twist. Christmas hampers this time. Not to Ebola quarantined homes. But to others suffering in Freetown through the impact of Ebola. The already fragile economy has virtually collapsed. Sierra Leone is a poor country with no safety net. Where most of you sit, and me in a few days, Christmas is the highlight of our year. For many in Freetown, it's another grim day of struggle, as well as for millions of others across Sierra Leone, Liberia & Guinea. The inflicted and the affected. Today we visit some of the affected...

There's a saying that every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. Doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle... when the sun comes up, you'd better be running. This feels the case now. Everyone's running... everyone's trying to survive...

What's the latest situation? Ebola has now killed more than 7,300 people this year in West Africa. There have been nearly 2,500 deaths in Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone has the highest number of cases at 8,800. Liberia has the highest number of deaths. Over 3,300.

Sierra Leone, Liberia & Guinea currently have 5 million children who've not been schooled for the past 5 months. This week officials in Sierra Leone began house-to-house searches in Freetown to find hidden cases of Ebola. Sunday trading is banned and travel between districts restricted.

Public celebrations of Christmas and New Year have been banned. Christmas has been efficiently cancelled by the government. This is part of a broader package of measures aimed at breaking the chain of transmission. It's called the Western Area Surge. Hopefully, things will begin to turn in the New Year. Some positive underlying indicators are emerging, particularly in Liberia.

Anyway, we have a few calls to make, mostly to old friends. Let's start at the Crown Bakery on Wilberforce Street. Are you ready? Let's go. First, my team. 'The Divas' have enjoyed plenty of name checks throughout the blog. Here they are in all their glory...

Oh, and talking of the Divas, the 3 things you know it's December in Freetown. 

  1. Rainy season is over - a pleasant Harmattan (desert winds), meaning the dry season has arrived.

  2. Christmas kitsch appears in the Lebanese owned supermarkets. 

  3. Divas staying late at the office (annual bonus time).

We begin this morning with a team breakfast at the Crown Bakery in town. Let's go outside and meet the team who 'work' this patch...

Chairman is Joseph Saidu Conteh. He leads an organised group of 55, nearly all of whom are disabled. Established in 2002. Their motto, ‘Disability Is Not Inability’. They use money received, mostly from patrons of the Crown, and other well-wishers to take care of their families. 

We present the Christmas hamper to the Chairman & Deputy Chairman. Are they beggars? No. Do they hustle? Yes, they have to. Do they have jobs? No. Are they a nuisance? No. Well, perhaps sometimes. They have dignity. They can be entertaining. They can be a handful. 

The Deputy Chairman makes me laugh with his demands each time I see him. What does this interaction mean? Well, VIP parking, eased in and out of the traffic, and far more importantly a smile, and good-natured bonhomie.

Today was the big one. A Christmas hamper, together with a 50 kgs bag of rice. They were of course delighted. It was heartwarming to see them happy and cheering. I made a short speech as crowds gathered to watch the entertainment. The Chairman responded on behalf of his group. Then, predictably the Deputy takes me to one side; they needed help with housing. I remind the deputy he's a pain in the arse and be happy for now. Sounds harsh I know; there are groups outside many restaurants, bars, supermarkets - you can't help everyone. I wish I could. If the deputy didn't press for more, I'd be surprised. We set up our Christmas scene, complete with hats, a small Christmas tree, tinsel etc.

Next up is a visit to the Army vets who live at the back of Wilberforce Barracks. The Chairman of the group is retired Corporal, Farma Jalloh. He leads around 900 former soldiers who were either wounded or disabled in the Sierra Leone war. Corporal Jalloh was struck by RPG fragments in 1998 and has been blind since. He retired from the Army, 28th Feb 2006, after serving 16 years. 

Some veterans joined him, as well as his children and other family members. Corporal Jalloh was overwhelmed and responded with a moving speech of gratitude. He was dignified, articulate and passionate in his leadership of the veterans and his fight to obtain a better deal for his men. There was no trace of bitterness but the quiet anger of having to live on a pension of Le13,000 a month (less than $3).

What's Christmas usually like in a West Africa free from Ebola? Christmas is extremely hot. In many of Africa's predominantly Muslim countries, including Sierra Leone, Christmas is still marked for celebration. Secularism has taken to meaning everyone celebrates all holidays. Christmas can be best described as a social event in Sierra Leone. Not this year.

Broadly speaking in Africa the emphasis is more on the religious aspects and singing in church, than on gift giving. The most common purchase is a new set of clothes for church. Not this year.

In Sierra Leone, the diaspora usually returns in large numbers bringing with them gifts and valuable money from overseas. Not this year. 

Extended families are enormous compared to European or North American norms. Family parties and social interaction typically takes place outdoors, and the beaches are packed. Not this year. Christmas has been largely curtailed.

Back to the hampers. 'Roy's Bar' on Lumley Beach. The group 'working' this bar is called the United Beach Organisation. The UBO. The Chairman is Moses Kamara. He leads a group of mostly 20 amputees and disabled. Moses had his leg amputated by rebels in 1999. He was 10 years old at the time. This is a prime spot to hustle. One of the best in Freetown during normal times. The Chairman is happy and has a few of his group in attendance. These guys normally 'work' the evenings. The opposite to the Crown where they 'work' the day shift. 

Last call. We head further along Lumley Beach towards the Aberdeen area. The group is the Aberdeen Beach Development Organisation (ABDO). 150 members and established 1982. Some here today are original members. These fellows take care of the beach. They've planted trees. They provide 'security' to visitors in the area. They make some money with beach barbecues, fishing, excursions, etc. The Chairman is Glen Mends and the Deputy Sheku Kamara. We had a great time with the ABDO and took photos on the beach.

Right. Time to fly back to the UK for Christmas. Family time. I reflect on Father Christmas and the 4 phases of life through this prism. You are a believer, you don't believe, you are Father Christmas, and finally, you look like him. Luckily still in phase 3.  

In closing, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Happy Christmas in Krio? Appi Krismes. 

See you all in 2015...


P.S. I arrived back in the UK last Thurs. Warm hugs from my Mother-in-Law. What happened to her self-imposed Ebola quarantine protocols? I think she's still on a high from Halloween...