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July 21, 2005
Doctors without Borders - Visiting MSF in
Sierra Leone
Just yesterday I completed an interview with Doctors
Without Borders/ Médécins Sans Frontières
(MSF) and while researching their website, I found that some of
the volunteers at MSF
had written really interesting stories about their experiences in
foreign countries. MSF gave me the permission to republish some
of these stories, I think you'll find them very interesting since
they shed light on the situation of the local population and the
experiences of the volunteers in some of these far away places.
Visiting MSF in Sierra Leone
By MaryBeth McKenzie
First Impressions
Friday 24 March
Freetown, Sierra Leone (West Africa)
"Welcome," is how I am constantly greeted by the people
of Sierra Leone.
MaryBeth McKenzie
After seven shots for various tropical diseases, two travel visas,
and eighteen hours in transit that have included cars, trains, planes,
and a helicopter, I have arrived in Freetown.
The flight in brought me over the many backwaters between Guinea
and Sierra Leone. From a few hundred feet in the air, the entire
world seemed to be made of green plants, trees and water. When I
looked to the west, I saw the never ending Atlantic. The sun was
brilliant and direct, being so close to the equator.
My team mate from Holland and I were met by Abraham, part of the
local MSF team, upon landing early morning this morning. At the
MSF office, a converted house in Aberdeen, I met members of the
MSF expatriate team, comprised of people from Europe, North America
and Africa and the Sierra Leonese team. Everyone is nice and the
Sierra Leonese staff are the warmest people I have ever met. I feel
very welcome.
Freetown is considered by MSF as a post-conflict capital city and
Sierra Leone — is still viewed as a country in conflict. The
security of all team members is of utmost importance. Immediately
upon my arrival at the MSF office, I received a security briefing
that included radio use, curfew, where I am permitted to go in Freetown
and plans for my evacuation, should it be necessary. As well, I
was informed about keeping doors locked and checking in with the
MSF office to inform them of my whereabouts at all times.
The offices and houses in Freetown are walled in, with broken glass
bottles or even barbed wire embedded atop the walls. Since the uprising,
looting has been a problem as many, many people have few means to
restart their lives. For me, the number of locks, security guards
and restriction in movement is difficult. For someone from Toronto,
who is used to moving about, almost without worry, the entire scenario
of locks, radios, security guards and curfews makes me feel a little
like a prisoner.
Approaching Freetown
Freetown is squeezed between the Atlantic ocean in the east and
large hills in the west. The city is congested, polluted and dirty.
Red dust is everywhere. Today the temperature reached almost 40
C plus humidity, an environment shock for this Canadian who left
Toronto as spring was just beginning. Street life is amazing —
Wow!! Immensely crowded, narrow streets filled with people selling
everything from towels, to chewing gum to newspapers, right in the
middle of the road to the few cars passing by. There a many roadside
stalls, constructed of iron sheeting, cardboard, discarded wood
— anything, sell food, shoes, clothes to hubcaps. Despite
the fact that Freetown does appear to be open for business the vast
majority of people are extremely poor, in fact, the poorest I have
ever seen. As I passed through certain parts of town, especially
the western area, the epicentre of the conflict, children were wearing
only ragged underwear for clothing. And, although not "starving,"
people are very thin. It has been explained to me that since the
invasion of last year, the people of Freetown have not had a large
variety of food, most eat rice with potato or cassava leaves as
their staple food, nor are they able to purchase extra food. A 50
kg bag of rice, costs one third of a decent, full-time salary of
a person for one month.
There are some signs of life getting back to "normal."
Part of a main road downtown is being expanded due to increased
vehicle traffic. In the Eastern part of the town, there are many
buildings filled with bullet shots or that have been burnt down.
Construction is, however, underway and many buildings are being
repaired and rehabilitated.
Overall, the greatest first impression I have is of the people
of Freetown. People are so, extraordinarily friendly, with big,
open smiles — that seem genuine — and when I think of
the atrocities that happened in Free town only one year ago, I am
blown away.
Out and About on a Saturday Night
March 25 :
Saturday night, for me and many Canadians, is certainly the night
to go out. For the expatriate community in Freetown, there is no
exception. It is Saturday night in Freetown and the official city
curfew is at 11 p.m. The MSF curfew is 10:30 p.m. I returned back
to the MSF rented apartment at 10:28 p.m.
Going out in a post-war zone is tricky at best. Using a small hand-held
handset, complete with squelch, I am required to inform the MSF
office when I leave my present location, where I am going and again,
call in to say I have arrived where planned. Tonight it was the
Lebanese-owned "Cape Club" a local eatery frequented by
expatriate workers and a few people from Sierra Leone. We passed
and cleared, two military check points to reach the restaurant only
2 km away. Although my fabulous meal of barracuda cost me less than
$10 Canadian, few people in Sierra Leone would ever come the door.
The place is spacious with a large patio. Everyone eats outside
along the waterfront. It is beautiful. There are torches and electric
lighting. A side salad costs more than most people earn in a day
(5000 Leon, $2 US).
The Cape Club is the first location where I have seen any tourist
take-aways, primarily a few carved wood items. I am informed by
an expatriate that such marketeering on a blanket in the parking
lot is good, after all, it demonstrates that life is getting back
to normal for the country with the former reputation as being the
"Venice of West Africa." Perhaps this is so. It is strange,
however, that the goods have traveled a great distance, from Ghana,
for me to purchase as a keepsake of Sierra Leone.
Meetings and meeting a big man
March 25 :
I am typing by candlelight. Although such lighting is often considered
romantic, tonight it is due to the city power being off. Noisy,
fossil fuel generators of various descriptions are the only way
anyone, anywhere as electric current. For the local Sierra Leonese,
that translates into working about in the dark. For the Expatriate
community (Engineering, Development, United Nations, Military and
Humanitarian Aid organizations) it means we are as ready as ever,
with our electricity to working.
Saturday is typically the "touch base" and meeting day
at the office in a capital city and for MSF volunteers, they work
only half a day. Freetown was no exception. The management team
started off at 9 a.m. discussing the status of medical programmes,
security, logistics and relations with other International non-governmental
organizations and the Sierra Leonese Government. I introduced myself
to everyone at the general staff meeting and then checked in with
the administration department to arrange evacuation and rendez-vous
procedures, should they be necessary.
Having just returned from the north or "up country" in
the rebel-controlled area, Jacqui, an exhausted country manager
with the MSF Holland mission, decided that the beach was where I
should get my over-all briefing on Sierra Leone.
On the beach, only moments after briefing, the small group of us
were surrounded by young boys, youth and a few men, selling everything
from peanuts to clothing. My digital camera caused quite a commotion
— everyone organized themselves in an orderly fashion to see
the LCD screen. A few even requested me to take the photo. As always,
everyone was so very friendly and warm.
A young man named Rizo who was selling cheesies came back for a
chat after the others had left. In thick Freetown creole, he confirmed
with hope and doubt that I would remember him, and remember to give
him the photo of himself I had previously snapped.
We chatted as the waves crashed on the shore. I explained to him
that in Canada we do not have white, sandy beaches with palm trees.
I asked him "how di business?" (How is work going?) "Same,
same," he replied with a smile. But the smile was an illusion.
A mask. As the two of us sat in a scene of paradise, he began to
tell me about his life as a " business" (working) man,
prior to invasion in January 1999. He explained, with no emotion
yet looking directly at me, that since that time, life has been
very hard. He had been forced from his house. His house was burned
to the ground. His family tortured and raped. He lost everything.
There is no insurance. So what to do. He said he was lucky. He was
able to put together 150,000 leons ($60 US) and start over "small,
small." On Sundays, his busiest day, he grosses 5000 leons
($2 US).
With that, he got up and walked down the empty beach to get back
to "di business."
Follow MaryBeth McKenzie through Sierra Leone on CBC Radio's new
weekly feature Iwitness, on As it Happens. To learn about MSF's
activities in Sierra Leone, visit the site for Cry Freetown, and
follow the links to "Ways to help" — "Aid agencies."
By MaryBeth McKenzie
www.msf.ca
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Doctors without Borders: Visiting
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Doctors without Borders: Lost between River
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Doctors without Borders: Journey
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