I have to admit, my first impression of Freetown was not one of instant love. Perhaps it was the jet leg back in April when I first landed there, but I found the city dingy, dilapidated, crowded and dirty. I was in no hurry to return, until the lack of chocolate, fresh coffee and other ‘necessities’ in Kailahun finally motivated me to head for the big city.
The pink Charm Beach Hotel, were we stayed looked like it lost its charm in the 70s. True you could see a speck of the ocean, but only over top of the half built/half falling down houses and razor wire. So I only started to feel the Freetown love when we headed into the city center. There a recognized the vibrancy I’ve experienced in other African cities: people from all over the continent mixing together, selling everything from goats to fake Gucci watches, spilling out of tiny houses by the dozen dressed to nines.
As our colleagues did some business in the bank, R. and I checked out the city center. I got passport photos taken for my Liberian visa (the actually purpose of my Freetown trip) on the street corner. We walked up to the giant cotton tree where slaves were once sold, and later free slaves returned to. We saw Freetown’s few historic sites – colonial style government buildings and a museum we didn’t go into. I bought a beautiful tie-died traditional dress (anywhere else in the world I’d look like a hippy but here I fit in. Besides it is the most comfy thing I have ever owned.)
Then we found Crown Bakery! We opened the door, stepped into the air conditioning and felt like we had been transported to North America. Without thinking that we were due to meet our colleagues we sat down and ordered cappuccinos, cinnamon buns, smoothies..... things we had only dreamed existed in Sierra Leone. When our work mates called to say we had to get to the embassy pronto, we begged them to wait. There was no way we could leave just yet.
From then on Freetown grew on me. For lunch we indulged in overpriced western goodies, and in the evenings we hit up the much cheaper make-shift stalls on the road side that sold food from all over Africa. We ate eba (Nigerian), and groundnut soap. I got to eat Nyama Choma (Kenyan) for the first time in years.
When A. arrived from Kailahun, I got to see more of Freetown up close and personal. We travelled the city by public transport visiting his family (our family actually since I’ve been adopted as A.’s twin sister). I discovered I much prefer crowded public taxies to travelling in air conditioned NGO trucks – there is something about public transport that makes one feel in beat with the pulse of the city. Inside the family homes I felt I was inside the heart of Freetown - these were busy places crowded with love.
In the evenings we dappled our feet in the waves at the beach, and sat in the sand speculating about what an amazing holiday destination Freetown will be one day soon. The never ending white sands certainly hold a lot of promise and the beach bars present a most relaxing atmosphere.
So I left Freetown with a bag of chocolate, cookies and wine to take back to Kailahun – and a much better impression of the place. It is a lively city, with friendly people, gorgeous beaches and great food. What more can you ask for?!
Peace.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
What am I doing here?!
What am I doing here? I have to admit sometimes this question runs through my own mind at least once a day and I get asked it at least three times a day. So here it is. . .
My main task right now is to design and implement a research project on microenterprise development in the District. Practically this means I spent days walking through hot crowded markets literally counting the numbers and types of businesses (which incidentally I loved because I quickly became familiar with where to buy the best palm oil, plantains, etc.). I tried to figure out how many ladies there are selling peppers? How many are selling handmade soap? How many young men sell fake Gucci watches? Etc... Since there are no government records – or records of any kind – and most of the economy is informal, my early research was based on this very unscientific method, from which I designed a survey sample and questionnaire.
Yesterday, I trained eight local young people to administer that questionnaire. The challenges we discussed ranged from how to determine income and expenditure when the business person is illiterate and keeps no records, to how to convince respondents that you aren’t going to report them for not paying taxes. The survey results will lead to focus groups, which will lead to a validation workshop, which will lead to a report...... but not a report to sit on a shelf – I hope!
The thing is there is absolutely no information on small businesses here so we are hoping other NGOs as well as the government might be interested in what we discover; even if they aren’t the results will inform SEND’s program development.
Personally, I find researching small business inspiring. Instead of dwelling on how poor people are; how they are dying; how policy is failing - I’m looking at how people are trying to make a living; at what they aspire to achieve; at how they can be best assisted. It is research for change and I’m thriving off it.
Meanwhile, I have created a multi ethnic/religious/cultural family. It includes my ‘sister’ R. (the other Canadian) who everyone thinks is my sister and so has become one (besides we are basically attached at the hip); my ‘twin brother’ A. who I work closely with, travel around on the motor bike with and rely on for all interpretations of Sierra Leonean culture; my ‘mom’ N. who I also work with and who insists on feeding R. and I more than we need to eat; and about a dozen children who hang out on my porch every evening to play games.
The social scene in Kailahun is limited, especially for single women (going out at night attracts a great degree of unwelcome attention and the only disco/bar is not the most comfortable place anyways). However, I have fallen into a peaceful social regime that involves working till 6:30, riding my bike home, playing with the children on the porch, eating dinner with R., reading and going to bed by 11.
So in short – what am I doing here? I’m talking to business people, I’m playing with children, I’m building new relationships, I’m being grateful for the simple things..... It’s not a bad life at all.
My main task right now is to design and implement a research project on microenterprise development in the District. Practically this means I spent days walking through hot crowded markets literally counting the numbers and types of businesses (which incidentally I loved because I quickly became familiar with where to buy the best palm oil, plantains, etc.). I tried to figure out how many ladies there are selling peppers? How many are selling handmade soap? How many young men sell fake Gucci watches? Etc... Since there are no government records – or records of any kind – and most of the economy is informal, my early research was based on this very unscientific method, from which I designed a survey sample and questionnaire.
Yesterday, I trained eight local young people to administer that questionnaire. The challenges we discussed ranged from how to determine income and expenditure when the business person is illiterate and keeps no records, to how to convince respondents that you aren’t going to report them for not paying taxes. The survey results will lead to focus groups, which will lead to a validation workshop, which will lead to a report...... but not a report to sit on a shelf – I hope!
The thing is there is absolutely no information on small businesses here so we are hoping other NGOs as well as the government might be interested in what we discover; even if they aren’t the results will inform SEND’s program development.
Personally, I find researching small business inspiring. Instead of dwelling on how poor people are; how they are dying; how policy is failing - I’m looking at how people are trying to make a living; at what they aspire to achieve; at how they can be best assisted. It is research for change and I’m thriving off it.
Meanwhile, I have created a multi ethnic/religious/cultural family. It includes my ‘sister’ R. (the other Canadian) who everyone thinks is my sister and so has become one (besides we are basically attached at the hip); my ‘twin brother’ A. who I work closely with, travel around on the motor bike with and rely on for all interpretations of Sierra Leonean culture; my ‘mom’ N. who I also work with and who insists on feeding R. and I more than we need to eat; and about a dozen children who hang out on my porch every evening to play games.
The social scene in Kailahun is limited, especially for single women (going out at night attracts a great degree of unwelcome attention and the only disco/bar is not the most comfortable place anyways). However, I have fallen into a peaceful social regime that involves working till 6:30, riding my bike home, playing with the children on the porch, eating dinner with R., reading and going to bed by 11.
So in short – what am I doing here? I’m talking to business people, I’m playing with children, I’m building new relationships, I’m being grateful for the simple things..... It’s not a bad life at all.
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