Sierra Leone

Our visit to Sierra Leone has been amazing. I can't say that I have achieved much in terms of my photography because a lot of my time has been spent reconnecting with people and getting involved in their activities. And I have fitted my photography time around those activities. Also being here is rather exhausting especially now that the rainy season has really kicked in. One person that we met said there is always a period in August when it rains for seven days straight. We are now in our fifth day so we shall see if we make seven. Right now as I sit on my hotel balcony the sky has cleared.

Each day here is an adventure and maybe that is why I like being here. And sometimes the adventure turns into a disaster like yesterday when we got so wet that our clothes and shoes had that mildewed smell like they will never be dry again. Then today we did a radio discussion with some human rights activists on Citizens Radio. The station was on a very bad road which was even worse with the rain and the last part we had to walk up the hill. The station is only miminally equipped and so we sat in a very dark sound proofed room responding to calls from the public about different human rights problems. The problems are very real here but also we keep meeting people who are trying in different ways to help make things better.

But one thing we always enjoy is when we get a chance to spend time with the children. Here you see me with some of the children at the opening ceremony for the new school built by Schools For Salone. I had just taken a break from taking some photos and the children gathered around me. When Bob took the picture the children had to take a pose for the camera.