Project SIerra- 1st Study Tour Report!

Alison Sutherland- Quadrennial Project Liaison- quick summary report sent February 9, 2009

( Editor's note- this was sent to me a few days ago as a first report from Alison. It is longer than our usual posts- but- I know you wanted a good review! Happy Reading!)

The plans to do ‘on tour’ reporting went astray … you’ll realise why below … but this is a note to let all know that the Project SIerra Study Tour in Sierra Leone was a fabulous, action and experience packed experience for us all. The visiting group left safely last night (8 Feb), except Gerd who is staying on for a few days R&R, and I leave Freetown tonight for London.

Study Tour Team -- I hope you had good journey and are now safe at your destination when reading this! A huge thank you for being such wonderful friends and travel companions! A huge thank you (from all of us) to Hilary and David Ratcliffe for hosting the 1st 2 days of the trip ...others, see below!!!

After a tense start – 2 Feb flight from London cancelled and 4 of our group of 8 only knew on arrival at Heathrow Wednesday 4 Feb that there were seats on the plane for them! A tense 2 days for them.
Joe Glackin (HHC) and I were in Freetown anxiously awaiting arrival. HHC with local partner HANCI, and SI Freetown rapidly adjusted a 6 day programme down to 4 days and it was “go,go,go” from arrival to departure with everyone eager to take in just as much as humanly possible. What a super, spirited and adaptable team we all were – Soroptimists and Quadrennial Project partners!

This note cannot describe all the experiences – (I’m ‘borrowing’ an electrical socket at a friendly neighbourhood clinic for an hour to check mail before leaving for the airport. We have no daytime electricity where I have been staying – I checked form the hotel yesterday with the group!). Rest assured a note for the blog and website will follow with our individual and collective major impressions in the next couple of days. Here is a brief update of our itinerary and some experiences.

Weds – arrive evening; bus and ferry transfer to Freetown and our hotel (arrive 2330pm)

Thurs – 0800 departure for Bo, with SI Freetown President Elect Haja Fatmata Cole accompanying us, + Joe (HHC) and John (HANCI) to see Project SIerra funded programmes in Bo. Very moving welcome singing and dancing by the young mothers at the centre – ‘our girls’ – accompanied by drumming from 2 young boys from HANCI street children programme. Wonderful lunch prepared by young mothers – some of the group said it was the best meal of the week! – met young mothers and babies, saw tie-dye, hair styling and tailoring demonstrations; visited programme graduates in town – saw how they had really made a go of the opportunity and were budding young entrepreneurs, successful and respected in their communities.
Thursday evening – hosted to a splendid dinner and welcome meeting by the prospective Soroptimist members of Bo – a dynamic group of women who are so eager to establish a club in their city. SI Freetown P-E Fatmata said ‘you are my babies’ and offered mentoring support …. watch this space!

Friday 0900 departure from Bo to Makeni. Another incredible welcome at the Project site – community members, welcome songs and speech from young mothers and children supported on the programme. A moving welcome speech from one teenage mum on the programme who is the Head Girl at the local secondary school – what an achievement, made possible by your support for the programme and HER determination to succeed and make the most of the opportunity! A big surprise was the presence of a group of a dozen or so women who are very keen to establish a Soroptimist club in Makeni! In both Makeni and Bo, senior staff members of HANCI-SL are in these groups; we invited them to join us for an evening meeting in our hotel where P-E Hanne addressed them and we shared experiences.

Back to the day-visit to Project SIerra – another delicious meal (local cuisine of groundnut stew, cassava leaf stew and fresh frutits). Tour of project clinic, with pharmacy, 4 bed day ward, 2 nurses and pharmacist; baby day nursery. We saw young mothers arriving as teenage school girls in their school uniforms, collecting their babies and immediately breatfeeding them – transformed to the responsibility of motherhood. We then split to groups and visited programme beneficiaries in town – upsetting scenes of extreme poverty and dire need of families recently joined to the programme and uplifting examples of some who had graduated and were successfully independent – my own group visited a young mother who had been supported to become a vehicle engineer, has joined the army as an engineer and driver – we met her brigade 2-I-C and superior officers who were clearly delighted with her progress and encouraging her. Her story was tragic – raped by
rebels during the war, lost all her immediate family; now well on the way to independence and a good career to help her support herself and her child.

On Friday we had an hour ‘time out’ to relax by the pool-side at our hotel, a cool beer and a swim for some! A much needed and welcome break from the emotion and information rush of our visit!

Saturday – a 0630 start for a 2.5 hour drive through villages to Kamakwie. Beautiful journey, seeing village life awakening, experiencing the sounds and colours of rural life as we drove further into the remote part of the country. An excellent briefing by HANCI staff in Kamakwie --- our local briefings were 1st class, and we were all impressed by the professionalism and dedication of the staff. It was clear they love their work, and go the extra mile for their clients, as they did for us on the trip.

Then a gracious formal welcome by the local Paramount Chief (head of the Chiefdom), chiefdom elders and local HANCI committee members (male and female in both groups) – at the chief’s meeting house. He spoke of the excellent relationship with HANCI – a household name in the area and the only NGO that has been constant during and since the war. The sense of our partners and local community working hand in hand was very evident. The chief welcomed us saying that Soroptimists had brought the expression “the world is a global village” to Kamakwie that day, and how happy he was to welcome us.

A 20 minute drive to remote villages to meet families and children on the programme – a grandmother who cares for grandchildren, weaving rafia mats to make money; a father with amputated arm who cares for his children, his wife having died – the children have schooling, and there is economic support to help them grow vegetables and farm; 4 children cared for by their aunt as their parents have died. The project does not give food, but the basic elements to help the family become sustainable and also to be accepted and able to participate within their communities. A second village – and a surprise wonderful welcome of women signing and dancing, the town chief insisting we sit in the thatched meeting hut for a short formal welcome – where he explained clearly how the programmes were helping women to support themselves and their children, and how the programmes were helping men and women to work together for progress. As he spoke, great trays of
food – local rice with a delicious chicken and fish stew – appeared at our table. This was indeed an honour for us. As we left, visiting a home rebuilt byt the community for one of their most vulnerable families through HANCI support - a woman rushed towards us, holding up her t-shirt in which she carried12 eggs as a gift of thanks. Such generosity, and huge smile of joy and appreciation from her. We were all touched by the thanks and genuine appreciation shown for the support they have received – now made possible by Project SIerra.

A 5 hour drive to Freetown – including a vehicle breakdown that didn’t dampen spirits and showed the adaptabilty of Soroptimists and our hosts ! – a quick change and 15 minute breather before leaving for a fabulous evening dinner and entertainment at the beautiful home of Yomi, a member of SI Freetown. Most of the SI Freetown club were there to greet and share a super relaxed evening of friendship and fun. Bev’s dance moves got everyone onto the dance floor! Bed by 0030 Sunday!!

Sunday – last day and there were three choices for the group – we split up
Hanne and Hilary went with SI Freetown President Marjorie to visit a well / spring box project just completed by the club in a community area. They spent a super morning seeing local community life and the use made of the area – laundry, bathing and collecting drinking water.

Anne, Sandra, Paula and Gerd went with SI Freetown member Helen to the Fistula Hospital and had a fascinating tour and meeting with Helen and her husband who is surgeon at the clinic. They put in a shopping trip afterwards at the beachside market.Bev, Sharon and I went to the city market for a round of ‘power shopping’ – items for onward sale at club etc events! Then a drive through town, seeing shanty towns and business areas.

Lunch at the hotel with SI Freetown President Marjorie and PAC Thelma, a short meeting with Dr Roland, Director of HANCI, a fond farewell and hearty thanks to our drivers and to John who travelled with us and facilitated all the in-country logistics with Joe – then all bundled into the minibus for the drive to the ferry, ferry crossing and to the airport.

Well --- that in essence is where we went and some of our experiences! A FABULOUS time – the most made of every moment, and the Tour group was a delight and delighted byt the experiences. Thank you to the super team of 8 for making it such a wonderful visit, + of course Joe + HANCI + SI Freetown + the women and girls and their communities who welcomed and inspired us throughout.

On arrival in London [I now must take the journey to the airport for tonight’s flight] I’ll edit this to a note for web ‘publication’ (blog and website) – including our individual ‘special moments and memories.” I have the highlights from each member ….. and will add photos …. so watch the space in the next couple of days. In the meantime, hope this has given an introductory flavour for you to read and share.

much love Alison
Quadrennial Project Liaison 2007-11