Sierra+Leone+Today

Sierra Leone Today Andrea Haberman, Monica Badagliacco, Brianna Dinan, Josh Akell

Survivors Over 1,000 former child soldiers have been reunited with their families.

One survivor is Damba Koroma. Damba was affected by the war when she was only five years old; rebels chopped her hand off. For three days Damba and her mother walked to the nearest hospital. Damba was given the option to get treatment in Washington D.C. and Damba's mother allowed her daughter to go. Now Damba live in D.C. with new guardians and attends school like other children.

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Abu Bakar Bangura was kidnapped from his family by rebels and forced to become a soldier for the RUF. Once the war was over, Abu went to the Child Protection Care Center in Kono, Sierra Leone. After searching many villages, the center found Abu's family who he now lives with.

Another survivor of the Sierra Leone War is Kabba Williams who at the age of six became a soldier in the RUF. William was in the war for four years before he was rescued by UNICEF. Today, Williams is a humans rights advocate, campaigning specifically for former soldiers. To hear Kabba Williams story, click on the link below, scroll to the bottom of the page and listen to "Part Three." His story is about the first ten minutes. [] __Mini Lesson__ What are the similaries and differences between these survivors and Ishmael? [] [] [] [] []

Amputess/Unable People  The government ignores amputees and people who can not work and provide for themselves. Amputees "feel neglected" because of their status. Blind people are also left out simply because they are blind. The government gives more attention to celebrations that deal with able bodies people. In 2007, before the presidential election, the president at the time stated that the "government is bogged with other overwhelming national priorities" and could not deal with the needs of amputees. While the government neglects amputees and unable people, Prosthetics Outreach Foundation (POF) is "bringing modern prosthetic care and rehabilitation services to children and adults" in Sierra Leone.

​Government Sierra Leone has three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial.
 * Executive Branch: Made up of the Chief of State, Head of Governement, and the Cabinet. The Chief of State and the Head of Government is President President Ernest Bai Koroma who was elected on August 11, 2007 and inducted on September 17, 2007. Presidents serve five year terms and can run for a second term.


 * Legislative Branch: Parliment with 124 seats. 112 members are elected by popular vote and 12 members are Paramount Chiefs, one representing each district in Sierra Leone. Members serve in five year terms. Currently 59 members are from the All People's Congress (APC), 43 are Sierra Leone's People Party (SLPP), and 10 from the People's Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC).
 * Judicial Branch: Supreme Court of Sierra Leone, the Court of Appeal, and the High Court of Justice, and traditional and magistrate courts. The Judiciary, headed by a Chief Justice, have in all matters civial, criminal, and when Parliment may be under an Act of Parliment.

Is this government stable?
 * According to a United Nation's Security Council Meeting, the government is not completely stable, but is on the way to becoming a stable nation. "The success of Sierra Leone’s road towards stable democracy would depend largely on the extent to which its Government would be able to provide a 'peace and democracy dividend' for all Sierra Leoneans, which would depend in turn on its ability to rally international support for its 'Agenda for Change.'"

Rebuilding

A building being rebuilt in Hastings, Sierra Leone with money raised by residents in the area.

Who is aiding Sierra Leone's rebuilding efforts? media type="custom" key="5070243" align="center"
 * UNICEF: They are working to improve health care by implementing immunizations for children; increase school enrolment, especially girl enrolment; protect the children of Sierra Leone and their rights; and improve water and sanitation. []
 * International Recsue Committee (IRC): The IRC supports over 9,000 school children by providing them with educational opportunities, uniforms school materials, and tuition money and supports 125 teachers so they can earn their teaching certification. They are helping to rebuild health care by working to raise the child mortality rate, building clinics, and working to prevent disease. The organization is working to end gender-based violence and help communities discuss local issues by organizing meetings. []
 * United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPOSL): Their priority is to spread peace by rebuilding the economy, access to health care, and public services.
 * Actor Isaiah Washington started the The Gondobay Manga Foundation. He wishes to rebuild Sierra Leone due to his ancestral link to the country.
 * Peace Corps: In June 2010, 40 volunteers will arrive in Sierra Leone. Their work will focus on community development and schools. This will be the first time the Peace Corps has worked in Sierra Leone in 15 years.
 * Countries aiding Sierra Leone: The United States' aid in 2009 alone was $32.885million. Ireland gave over €41 million to Sierra Leone from 2000 through 2007. The United States, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom donate large amounts of foreign assistance to Sierra Leone.

Economy - Sierra Leone is a very poor country. Social chaos hampers economic growth; about half of the working population works in agriculture and does not take in much income. Diamond mining is still the major source of earnings for exports; therefore, the economy depends on national peace so other countries will buy diamonds. According to the CIA Factbook, "a recent increase in political stability has led to a revival of economic activity."

Healing After the Hatred

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After the war ended, the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) opened CVT West Africa to help heal the victim of the war. The program provides mental health and social services. The program "is virtually the only provider of professional psychlogical interventions combined with rigorous evaluation to ensure the project is effective and lasting." CVT West Africa provides small group and individual counseling and community health activities to the victims of the war.

//Is this conflict likely to happen again?// Considering that Sierra Leone is still on its way to becoming a stable nation but is not all the way there yet, this conflict could happen again, but is not very likely. The massive rebuilding efforts and the boost in the economy will help to prevent, along with the growing stablity of the government will help prevent this confict from happening again.

Works Cited ​ //Background note:// //Sierra Leone//. (2009, August) Retrieved from []

//Healing in// //West Africa//. (2006, May). Retrieved from []

//Joint UN vision for Sierra Leone //. (2009). Retrieved from []

//No compassion for Sierra Leone’s amputees//. (2007, March29). Retrieved from []

//Peace Corps to return to// //Sierra Leone//. (2009, November 3). Retrieved from []

//Programs in// //Sierra Leone//. (2009). []

//Rebuilding a nation.// (2009, May 2). Retrieved from []

Schorn, Daniel. (2006, June 9). //Africa// //war victim inspires others//. Retrieved from []

//Sharing the secret: rape survivors find solace and skills with UNFPA-sponsored programme//. (2007, October 11). Retrieved from []

//Sierra Leone//. (2009). Retrieved from []

//Sierra Leone////’s success in transition to stable democracy depends on government providing ‘peace dividend’, security council told//. (2009, September 14). Retrieved from []

//Sierra Leonean rehabilitation initiative//. (n.d). Retrieved from []

//The big picture//. (2004, December 23). Retrieved from []

//The world factbook-Sierra Leone//. (2009, November 27). Retrieved from []

//What’s going on: Abu’s story//. (2008). Retrieved from []

//What’s going on: Fatmata’s story//. (2008). Retrieved from []

//What’s going on:// //Swankay’s story//. (2008). Retrieved from []