Early morning in paradise. The unromantically named Number 2 River Beach is one of the most gorgeous places imaginable. Two days with nothing to do but read, swim, play, eat and drink, it was hard to imagine there were places in trouble in the same world.
Maybe needless to say, the illusion did not last long. After two days of idyll, it feels as if we have had three days of war. Quite apart from in-law troubles, we have had a very full couple of days up-country getting the Magbeni 50+ year old Sheik arrested for marrying a 14 year old girl who he seduced out of the women’s project; getting the Magbeni community to guarantee that they will no longer support such behaviour; persuading Port Loko Teachers’ College to treat our students fairly; sorting out the sleeping arrangements of the growing number of littluns in Maronka; checking the three building projects still underway; persuading the paramount chief in Port Loko, at long last, to sign the Rolal land documents so that we can register the Rolal school and so on……..
It will be a very happy day when we can take for granted the good will of our supposed partners in development.
If you are interested in knowing more about EducAid’s work with vulnerable Sierra Leoneans, please go to www.educaid.org.uk