Another Side of Sierra Leone

Haley carrying water on top of her head "Sierra Leone style".

This week we are fortunate enough to have a guest writer on our blog, our first official volunteer, Haley Howe. Haley was in the Global Stewardship program that I graduated from at Capilano University, and she has been here working with me since June 3rd. I hope you enjoy her thoughts and experiences and gain another perspective from her words! -Krissi


My experience in Sierra Leone has been truly life changing. Although I’ve done a lot of travelling in developing countries, never before have I had such an opportunity to live as a local. Krissi’s hard work and perseverance have earned her the respect and trust of the community here in Kabala. Because of this I have an insider’s view on the culture and society here. I am living a life very different to the one I live in Vancouver, Canada. Seemingly simple tasks that the locals perform daily such as carrying large buckets of water on their heads or preparing a meal of groundnut soup leave me a sweaty and embarrassed mess acutely aware of all I take for granted in Canada.
A journey to Sierra Leone is not for the faint of heart and is not possible without sacrifice, especially when compared to the relatively pampered western lifestyle, but it offers so much more in return. The people I’ve met here have been some of the most gracious, hospitable, generous, human beings that I have ever met. Their spiritual faith is intensely passionate and permeates every aspect of life. People that have so little have a way of making you feel that you are in one of the richest places on earth. I’m not sure what I was expecting to find here in Sierra Leone, a country that survived a brutal civil war, but it certainly wasn’t a feeling of hope, contentment, or the gentle way that people have when dealing with one another. In fact I find it hard to find these things at home in Vancouver where I always have more than I need.
The People’s Foundation for Sierra Leone is giving opportunities to youth that are willing to work hard and want to heal and build their country. I can’t imagine a better way to structure development than to give a country the tools to allow itself to develop from the inside through its own citizens. In this way the Foundation avoids the common pitfalls of development such as the band-aid approach with only short-term effects or western imposed solutions to problems that are not really understood.
Working with Krissi has allowed me to see the strength and commitment necessary to do this type of work. This is not an easy task and I believe that there are very few people that could do it well with any lasting effect. Development work relies on the strength and trust of the relationships that are formed between cultures. This is why short term projects often don’t reach their potential or fail completely. Krissi has the conviction and commitment to see this work through but more importantly is that it comes from her heart out of a pure love for this nation. Her desire to help Sierra Leone is not tainted by ego or motivated by self serving reasons.
Haley Howe