Have you just been back to Sierra Leone? Whether for business or pleasure, we welcome your contructive feedback on your trip.
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December 2008 / January 2009
A Word from...Isa Davies
Greetings
to you all.
Thank you for this opportunity! I was wondering who I could
contact with regards to sharing my experiences emanating from my
most recent visit to Sierra Leone. Most of which,
unfortunately, are not pleasant!
I consider myself a Sierra Leonean through and through, and very
regularly, at least twice a year, visit the homeland. For
whatever reason, this particular trip made me come away with great
concerns about our country - the youth being one aspect,
the cleanliness, quite the contrary, of our country and the
'traders that you will find in every nook and
cranny"!
What are we going to do about this? The 'battle' I am
prepared to undertake this side of the year, is our
International Airport. Has anyone recently looked at the
"welcome to Sierra Leone Lungi International Airport" signage as
you enter the airport? The G and I are falling off the
signboard and the toilets - in the whole of the airport there
was not one single clean toilet not even in the so called VVIP
area.. I did "go into one" in other words, I openly vented my
frustration at the staff at the airport. Of course no one
could tell me who was responsible for this area, instead all heads
were lowered and when I continued to 'bray' was told that this was
just one occasion (which we all know is not true) and that there
was no water - excuse me, LUNGI - no water! It beggars
belief. I can go on .....
The youths, there is an apparent "no future no hope"
about our young people when you speak to them. Chair of
a charity working towards rebuilding Government primary schools,
most, if not all are in such an abominable state and yet
still, parents dress their children and send them willing to school
- to learn what, and in what conditions?
Traders - everywhere one travels in Freetown there are street
traders. In every nook and cranny someone is selling
something and on every single day of the week from morning
until night!
We need to do something about our country. I am particularly
sick and tired of Sierra Leoneans saying, "if you go Liberia, if
you go Gambia, if you go Ghana" etc. Why can we not love our
own country and do something to change it. The so called
hotels that charge $100 a night, in one (shall I name?) there was
no water. Can you imagine?
I am more than willing to roll up my sleeves and work towards
rebuilding my country. For the Lungi airport, I will
willingly ship toilet seats, brushes, cloths, cleaning agents etc -
just so that when I want to ease myself, the toilet is clean!
I am sorry I have gone on, having tried to telephone the
Ministry of Tourism when I arrived and also visitsierraleone.org
and not able to get through, this is an opportunity for
me.
I look forward to your response. By the way, please don't
tell me about a meeting to talk - action is what is now needed to
rebuild our country. Oh by the way, Makeni is beautiful and
clean (but again, no public toilets)!
Kind regards
Isa
Davies
A Word from...Almira Cole
One thing I
would always say about Sierra Leone is it is our home no matter how
long you have been away.
The minute I step my feet on the soil of Sierra Leone I feel
overwhelm. Even when I take my children to Freetown home they know
this is their home.
I Visited Sierra Leone in December 2008. For me when I enter
the plane I always adjust my mindset because I know I am going to
Africa no matter If I was going to other more developed African
countries you have to adjust your mindset. In the morning I realise
the street where clean, when I went to the bank to change some
money the pound has drop so much what instantly came to my mind was
wow the economy is improving we are getting there slowly. The only
problem I had was staying in traffic for hours but that was
understandable as people from the Diaspora where flooding in to
Freetown to celebrate the festive season with their family and
loved ones.
The next day I took a drive round Lumley beach I so impressed with
the improvement the Ministry of Tourism has done. You can actually
see the beauty of the beach when all the beach bars have been
relocated to the other side, also the gorgeous new hotels that are
coming up.
What also amazed
me was I went to one of my friends wedding they travelled with
quite a lot of their English friends from the UK to celebrate their
wedding. They could not stop saying how beautiful Freetown was, I
felt so proud. I just love my country.
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(November
2009)
A Word from...Gwyn Allen
My
main purpose for going was to start an Architectural partnership
with Manilius Garber of Jarrett Yaskey and Garber Associates. We
were working 6days a week on two large projects one of which is a
hotel which had to be completed and presented to our client for
approval before I left for the UK . The task was very challenging
but not impossible. And yes we did it and got the go ahead.
Unfortunately we cannot disclose the client or the project but they
are one of the major investors in the SL economy.
I was also working on my parent’s school, the Tower Hill
Kindergarten & Primary School which boasts of 320 students and
often records one of the best results not only in the country but
in West Africa. I have over the past 5 years been able to raise
some money together with the schools own funs and build an assemble
hall/covered play area, 2 new class rooms, a crèche, an office, a
computer learning room, kitchen/WC and store room. With newly
acquired land, the next phase will be to build 8 new classroom, a
staff room, toilets, a library and more play area. This should
double the size of the school. I also enjoyed taking the morning
school assemble a few times a week, motivating them and teaching
them new gospel songs on the guitar. ‘ Na so dem say’ being one of
their favourites.
It was quite a diverse and fully loaded trip to say the least. I
got to perform for the president and first lady at the annual
Chamber of Commerce dinner at the King Tom conference centre. That
all just happened in a space of a week. I hear they have never had
a musical performance at the ball in the past. Not sure how true
this is but someone also said I could be the first person to sing
for the president and first lady since he came into office. I was
truly honoured. That’s not the only place I sang by the way.
There’s a really cool new jazz club with a live band at Lagoonda
called the Q-Bar. Noel Atereh Roberts got me singing there 2
Fridays in a row. Apparently my performance photos are all over
face book. Was great fun. And then there was the wedding of the
year. Isha Tejan Cole to Arne Birger Johansen, a Norwegian
diplomat. Sang at the St Augustine 's Hill Station church ceremony
and later at the reception too. Better check out January issue of
Ovation Magazine for the write up and photos. No joke.
[Aunty] Josephine and [Uncle] Rodney Paul who recently started
Corner Stone, a registered Charity and a Church in a small village
near Newton after moving back to FT from the UK. There I took
another plunge and was given the green light to minister to them in
word and song. They seem to enjoy the worship. They just wouldn’t
stop singing. It was a great challenge preaching in Krio. They have
also just acquired new land and plan to build a community centre,
church and a farm. I guess I better start designing now as I’ve my
work cut out mate but hey, I love it.
To be able to accomplish all these SL based projects, I’ve had to
take the plunge and go freelance as an Architect, which will allow
me to work both in the UK and make the necessary trips to FT.
All my dreams and aspirations in the UK seem to disappear into
insignificants when I’m in SL. I feel so so fulfilled when I’m able
to meet a need. Giving back from all that God and SL has given to
me. Salone needs us. For true true.