Scholarship Fund Update

The Sierra Leone Teacher Scholarship Fund now has an official name Leh we go befoh Teacher Scholarship Fund based on the Krio phrase “Let us move forward together”. This name was determined during my most recent stay in Sierra Leone with a group of teachers.

So far, the fund has assisted three teachers (Rosemarie, Isata and Francis) by paying for their tuition and residence for three years. These three candidates have completed all course requirements, teaching practice hours and finished their final exams. They are already employed full time but are currently waiting on results and paperwork so they can begin to receive a salary. Based on my experiences, I am sure the skills learned at Teachers’ College will impact many children and their communities. I had the opportunity to visit Francis’ village where the entire community came to pass on their appreciation to my friends and family in Canada. I was also invited to visit the communities of Rosemarie and Isata who also want to extend their gratitude.

As you may know, this initiative began during my first stay in Sierra Leone where our Canadian team decided to put our fundraising efforts towards furthering teacher education in Sierra Leone, something we felt was sustainable. I have decided to continue coordinating this fund and am grateful for Rosemarie’s help as she now coordinates the details in Sierra Leone. While in Sierra Leone, I met staff at the Admissions Office of the Teachers’ College in Makeni as well as lecturers working at the college. I also toured the university in Bo. I feel our financial assistance has greatly impacted the lives of these three candidates and want to continue supporting education in this way.

With the help of many friends and family members, three more teachers are currently enrolled in school. Another teacher had enough saved already for his first year but I am hoping we can support him for his last two years. In addition, I hope another candidate will start a correspondence program next year. I know our fund can expand in many ways. I have personally worked with 160 unqualified teachers in Sierra Leone who I am sure would love the opportunity to gain formal qualifications. As the fund is run on a volunteer basis and dependent upon donations, it will have its impact in small yet significant steps. Perhaps, one day the fund can develop into a program.

Thank you to everyone who has generously donated and made this fund possible. In the past, I have received donations from individuals, a church group and a women’s group. If you are interested in hosting a fundraising event, making a donation or helping in some way, please contact me at your convenience.  

Big Hug Goodbye to Sweet Salone!

I had an amazing and jam packed schedule over the past week. I went to Bo, the area where Rev. Peter grew up. For those of you who do not know him, he is the United Church Minister in the community where I grew up and where my parents and brother reside. It was great to see Bo and I even met a couple of people who know Peter! Bo is the second biggest city in Sierra Leone but is not nearly as congested as Freetown. Like many communities in Sierra Leone, they also use motorbikes to get around and I am happy to report that I am finished with my bike rides for now. I have learned how to say “Go slowly” in Mende, Themne and Krio! I have also managed to carry my luggage on bikes and figured out how to maneuver to get off and on with my skirts. Not easy tasks!

I met up with Isata (scholarship student) and we surprised one of our co-tutors from 2008 in a different city Kenema. Kenema is the third largest city in Salone is currently full of dust. Dry season! The next day we experienced even more dust when we went to a village near Moyamba. This was a once in a lifetime experience. We were covered with red dust and coughing like crazy! We had to travel about 50 miles down a dirt road full of giant potholes so it took a couple of hours. We arrived in a wonderful village to meet the one and only Francis (and of course the entire community!) Francis invited all of his school staff and extended family to his backyard where they built a special sitting area with palm trees just for the occasion. They all came with gifts for me so we filled the taxi with pineapples, coconuts, paw paws, yams, potatoes, plantains, bananas, rice, beni and even two live chickens. Francis showed me around his place and took me to his church before his wife gave me some groundnut stew…just happens to be my favourite Sierra Leonean dish! After eating, there were many speeches and prayers for all those Canadians who have been contributing to the scholarship fund. Next came the snaps, everybody wanted me to take their picture so I did my best to set up a portrait studio in the backyard. Many of the women practiced some Mende songs and then invited me to sit down for a sing-along. It gave me goosebumps and I will never forget their kind gesture. Soon enough, we were all up dancing while everyone sang and played various Sierra Leonean instruments. There were tears and hugs before heading back to Bo, I am so glad that we made it to Yanama. Certainly a highlight of my entire experience. Isata came back to Freetown with me and stayed for a couple of days. She gave me a beautiful dress with intricate sewing – I was speechless. It was such a pleasure to have a lengthy visit with Rosemarie and Isata this trip. I feel like I really had the chance to get to know them and admire them both for their strength and courage. They have both invited me to their villages and I would love to meet their families so that will be top priority next trip!

I have wrapped up my internship with the SLTU although still have some aspects that I will continue as I write my thesis. I completed some more interviews this week and had a great send off from my thesis supervisor at the Relaxation Station. I have had a couple of slumber parties with Baby Angie and her family. Angie is full of hugs for me now and not shy at all – that only lasted a day. We played soccer, coloured, went on the computers, watched television and danced. I hate to say goodbye to this family but on a good note I will be leaving my phone with them so we can keep in touch when I return to Canada.

I miss everyone in Canada so much and it is time to come home despite the wonderful experience I have had here in Salone! I am praying that Heathrow is operational on Christmas Day as I want to be at my parents’ place by Christmas night. I will see you all soon! Happy Holidays!

Goodbye to the North

I wrapped up the huge portion of my research and am extremely happy with how my experience has turned out. Still have a to-do list but it seems much more manageable. Going to try and complete six more interviews and then I will be done that aspect of my work. My colleagues have been more than keen to take part in this so I have been very fortunate.

Now for some updates….so much has happened but I haven’t had internet access!

Three teachers have been offered a scholarship to obtain their teaching certificate – Mahawa, Adama and Philip. They will all attend Northern Polytechnic in Makeni, with their first semester in October. They are all extremely grateful and have asked me to pass on a big thank you to my family and friends. Rosemarie is going to coordinate all administrative aspects in Sierra Leone as well as help the new students with orientation and paperwork. Rosemarie is really happy to take on this task and coordinate it for then next three years…if not more. At this point, she will be compensated for her hard work with another three year college program (Higher Teacher Certificate) that she will begin the following year. She is a keen student and inspiring teacher who wants to continue pursuing more certification. Thank you to Rosemarie. I hope that her help will allow us to expand the scholarship program over time. Thanks again to everyone for their generous contributions.

Finally I have been reunited with Baby Angie! No one could locate Angie and her mom until very recently which was very stressful. Due to many difficulties, they relocated to Freetown and I have had a few visits this week. Baby Angie is 2 now and is quite the little character. Let’s just say she has personality! She pranced around my room yesterday trying on all my shoes and spilled milk powder all over the place. She just gives you a cheeky grin and carries on with things. She carries the little bear I gave her on her back just the way mothers carry their babies – absolutely adorable.

Saying goodbyes has been a very emotional part of my trip and unfortunately I still have more farewells ahead of me this week. I was really touched by my African Ma’s family goodbye where I was treated to sauce and rice prepared at one of my sister’s restaurants. They also gave me a beautiful piece of garra, a cloth unique to Sierra Leone. It really was such a privilege to be welcomed into this family’s home. I will miss them so much. Spending time with the students at the school for the hearing impaired was also such an amazing experience and I will miss the staff and students very much, especially a few of the girls that I got to know during my stay. Of course saying goodbye to all of the schools and research participants was also very difficult. The images of speeches, songs and huge groups of children waving goodbye will certainly stay with me and keep me motivated as I go home to write my thesis. I loved my time up North and hope that I will be able to come back within a year or two.

This might be my last blog entry until I get home….only 10 more days. Hard to believe! I leave tomorrow to visit Isata and Francis in Bo and Moyamba. Can’t wait to see them!

Back in a Month!

My research is going extremely well. I realized that I have completed about half of my interviews and am fairly content with the amount of observation that I have done. Of course, I will continue to get into the schools until I leave because I seem to learn something new every visit. Last week, I learned how to make glue with dried cassava and water. A teacher heated it up over a fire and then used the paste to hang up learning materials in her classroom. Tape is not often a possibility in the villages and even when there is tape, the humidity causes posters and charts to fall down. She also showed me how to make traditional skirts out of old rice bags and string out of palm leaves. What a wealth of information just from one visit!

My taxi rides out to the various villages continue to be some of the richest experiences I have had in the country thanks to all of the wonderful passengers and drivers. I have made connections with several NGOs, met friends of friends and also met a Human Rights Journalist/Poet. I am going to ask for his permission to post some of his work. Very moving.

The tales from the taxi certainly continue. Last week, I was surprised to see a live chicken occupying the passenger seat but the ride got even more interesting. Instead of the driver putting passengers on a cada (motorbike) to avoid getting blackmailed any further from the police, he actually passed his keys over to a passenger and hid in the trunk. Bit scary due to the heat but he did avoid the extra bribes and got away with the one standard payment. The corruption has become such a norm for taxi drivers but boy does it get a heated discussion going – the passengers and drivers are not happy to say the least. People will discuss police corruption for the duration of the ride, even if the ride takes hours. It is the reason why taxis overload their vehicles, such a vicious cycle.

I was sad to say goodbye to my friend Maribeth from Thunderbay who was in Sierra Leone for three weeks. We had a great time. We were invited into a traditional local court called a barrie where local problems are brought to a chairperson, had great welcomes into schools, spent a day at a beautiful beach and sat on the porch learning about life in Salone.

Well, going to get back to my research – one month to go!

Tuition Paid Up

For those of you involved in supporting the education of Rosemarie, Isata and Francis...I have just paid all of their tuition for the term. I will pay for their final semester before I leave! They will soon be graduating and I have some new candidates in mind if we are able to continue our support. I had the chance to observe Rosemarie practice teach in a grade one class with one hundred students. It certainly confirmed what a remarkable teacher she is and how important our fundraising project has been. I have had the chance to visit with Rosemarie several times this trip which has been wonderful. I will be visiting Isata and Francis in December. Look forward to the road trip! I have been trying to upload some photos but the computer is toooooo slllloooowwwww! I'll try again another time.

Some Serious Hustle and Bustle

I came back to Freetown to get a few errands done only to find out that one of my errand days was a public holiday for Eid! So, that being the case, I braved the streets of the city yesterday cramming in as much as I could. I wish it was realistic to videotape the hustle and bustle of the city streets but a camera would just get knocked out of my hands and I wouldn’t be able to walk properly. To get downtown, I have to take a taxi to a junction, get out and then find another taxi to a closer stop near the central part of town. It is extremely difficult to find taxis from this end of town due to the congestion and locals tell me the only way to do it is to leave very early….well, I was too late at 10am that’s for sure! Noon until evening is rush hour! And beyond any rush hour I have ever experienced anywhere!

I usually have someone come with me but am feeling more confident about getting around the city and decided it would be easier to head out on my own schedule. I was pleased with myself that I made it to the Eastern Police point without any big hassles. This is where you get out and walk…no more space for cars! The street is jam packed with sellers who barely have enough room to set out their bowl of goods or set up a small table. The air is extremely polluted and it can be quite difficult to breathe at times. The sounds of the downtown market space include sellers shouting out what is for sale and the prices at top volume. The blaring horns fill the background and brave cart pushers use a whistle to push their load through the crowd. I watch the locals weave through the crowds ducking under baskets, jumping over potholes and dodging the odd vehicle that somehow miraculously makes it’s way through the chaos. They manage to do this so gracefully. Unlike the locals, I awkwardly try to strain my way through the masses with the odd wheelbarrow hitting me from behind . It is truly overwhelming but once you are in the middle, there is just no way but straight through! The crowd reminds me of how I feel leaving concerts or sporting events at home except people are going about business and it doesn’t stop for kilometers. People are friendly, greeting me along the way, offering me their best price and even helping me with directions amongst the hissing, bumping and yelling. What made yesterday even more interesting were all the goats on leads. Those preparing for Eid were taking home the goats they purchased ready for a big celebration.

I certainly was thrilled to get back to my end of town last night to find my thesis supervisor and some other friends at the Relaxation station. We enjoyed a couple of Star beers and all sang along to a Bob Marley tribute playing on the television. Thank God for the Relaxation Station!

Tales from the Taxis

I have fully experienced local taxi service now and…..wow, it has been unbelievable! There are line ups of taxis here going on specific routes to either areas within a city or to another city. I am still working out the details but seem to get to my main destinations with ease now. Well, it’s at least easier!

Up North, my first taxi day was quite an adventurous introduction. The man picking me up on the motorbike to get to the taxi line was running behind, so we started off late. I figured showing up an hour late to my research site was not out of the norm so didn’t worry at all. Once I arrived at the taxi line, it took over an hour to secure a taxi. Basically, the driver waits until the car is full and then adds a few extra passengers and off we go! Initially, the driver was trying to fill a station wagon which would have taken ages. I checked out the supermarket, had a drink, read a few chapters of my book and was still waiting. Luckily, he eventually traded the station wagon in for what would be considered a 5-seater car at home. Except here, the passenger seat holds two and the back seat holds four. I was so relieved when the driver started the car because I had big plans for my research that day! The seven of us set out for a rural community that is normally about half an hour away. Fifteen minutes outside the city boundaries, we stopped at the police point where our driver and the police officer got into an argument. The police officer ordered all of the passengers out of the car to sit beside a fruit stand and told the driver to take the taxi back to its starting point! She said she would find us another ride which I found hard to believe since it took me so long to find a taxi heading in my direction to begin with. We waited for awhile and then surprisingly a taxi stopped that was carrying four passengers already – a couple and their two children. The rest of us piled into the taxi for a cramped ride to the village! There were four of us sharing the front seat! I arrived fours late but on a good note was driven right to the school which saved having to organize another motorbike ride. Funnily enough, I was the only one concerned about time, no one else seemed to bat an eyelash! This is a good example of how “time” can be seen so differently.

I took taxis back and forth to this village for about five days and then a long taxi ride when I returned to the capital city. There are just too many stories to share and I am not sure if I can even come close to articulating the variety of responses and experiences I have had! My taxi rides have been uncomfortable and sweaty but extremely interesting. You just never know what will happen next. I have learned more of the local language while in the taxi, discussed the life of a late politician, met some very motivated college students and just enjoyed the view of lush tropical forest. We made a lot of stops on the way where my patience was tested to the max! The stops slow us down but always bring a unique surprise. For example, one of the first times my taxi stopped I thought we were needed for a road side emergency. Nope, we were stopped to transport bananas. A gigantic banana load, tree trunks and all! Another time, about thirty car batteries were stuffed into the trunk along with some steel, and then removed, repacked, removed, repacked, removed and finally repacked…while the driver and battery owner negotiated how much money should be paid to carry the batteries. Like the bananas, this weighed down the car significantly and added another hour to our journey! My mantra “Don’t fight it , just enjoy the ride….”