Sierra Leone is a country the size of Iowa on the bulge of West Africa. It’s a potentially rich country, but it’s been impoverished first, by a brutal eleven-year civil war that ended in 2002—think child soldiers and Blood Diamonds. The war killed thousands of people and decimated the country's already shaky infrastructure. Sierra Leone was hard hit by the Ebola epidemic that killed thousands and
left many more people discouraged, apathetic and fearful. In addition to financial resources, Sierra Leone needs a lot of inspiration, hope and guidance. Giraffe Heroes Sierra Leone (GH-SL),an NGO launched in 2011, helps the citizens of Sierra Leone provide all three. GH-SL uses both traditional and social media to tell Sierra Leoneans the stories of their own heroes working for peace and combating disease. These stories inspire many more people to act with courage and persistence to advance their country's future. GH-SL also offers trainings in effective citizen action to people traumatized by the war and now by Ebola. For a relatively low cost, GH-SL can help them regain their footing, renew their hope and help solve the enormous problems the country faces such as poverty, corruption and political violence. GHI Director John Graham spent eight days in the country in May, 2011 and came away impressed not just with the enormous tasks of governance and development at hand, but also with the longing of the people he met—from political leaders in Freetown to war victims in small camps upcountry—to heal the country's wounds and restart development work. Everywhere in Sierra Leone, billboards proclaim “Na wi country,” which is translated not just as “This is our country” but “This is OUR country.” The signs are symbols of a national pride rooted in the common good and a positive vision of the future that just might finally produce the stability and well-being that have long been promised but never delivered. It’s as if the whole country has discovered that building a safe, fair and prosperous nation can’t succeed unless they build it together. GH-SL was launched in collaboration with the B-Gifted Foundation, led by Andrew Greene, which focuses on war victims, women's issues and the environment. As the devastation of Ebola eased, GH-SL began honoring its first Giraffe Heroes in 2015 (see below). Do you know the story of a Sierra Leonean man, woman or youth who is “sticking her or his neck out” to make a difference for their country? If you do, contact GH-SL Director Ibrahim Kamara. His numbers are:
Tel: # 00232 - 78 - 361752; 00232 - 33 - 361752;
00232 - 77 - 361752
[email protected]
