Red Cross Projects in Sierra Leone - Canadian Red Cross
Red Cross Projects in Sierra Leone
Starting in 1991 Sierra Leone was engulfed in a gruesome civil war for almost 10
years:
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Some 80,000 civilians were killed.
8,000 more maimed and with amputated limbs, including vast numbers of
women and children.
Over 10,000 children were abducted and involved in the conflict, often as
slaves or child soldiers.
Almost 85% of the houses were destroyed.
A cease-fire was signed in 1999, and since May 2001, people have begun
returning to their towns and villages to rebuild their lives.
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Red Cross Projects in Sierra Leone - Canadian Red Cross
During the conflict, many young people had limbs amputated, simply to terrorize
them. This 16 year old girl requires special care and training in order to have a
healthy and productive life. Most villages affected will have to go through a
process of healing and rebuilding. The Red Cross in Sierra Leone helps.
We work with villagers to build a Peace Hut. This simple structure is a symbol of
healing and a first practical step towards learning to live together again.
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Red Cross Projects in Sierra Leone - Canadian Red Cross
People gather there, to hear non-biased news from BBC radio -- and to plan
projects together. Victims tell their stories… an important part of the
peacebuilding and healing process.
People on opposite sides have to learn to live and work together again… even
though terrible things were done. These young men are reclaiming the rice
paddies overgrown by the jungle. A Red Cross staff assists non-school youth 1018 years old directly affected by the war. They are provided counselling,
education, job skills training, job placement and recreation.
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Red Cross Projects in Sierra Leone - Canadian Red Cross
Over time, these young men are learning to trust and cooperate again.
Rebuilding the economy is critical. These widows, have borrowed enough
money through a small loans program to start their soap making business. They
support their families, as well as contributing to health and hygiene in their
village.
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Red Cross Projects in Sierra Leone - Canadian Red Cross
This young woman is learning tailoring skills through the Job Aid for War
Amputees program. Other amputees are also being placed in jobs in their town
or village.
In Sierra Leone, batik fabric work…
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Red Cross Projects in Sierra Leone - Canadian Red Cross
… and tailoring help to make a living
Improving the daily lives of people helps to prevent further conflict. The annual
United Nations Human Development Index ranks all countries according to their
overall quality of life. Canada has consistently been 1st , 2nd or 3rd -- Sierra
Leone has been 174th, or last. Two reasons for this low ranking are disease
and early child death -- partly from using dirty river water, for every human
need.
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Red Cross Projects in Sierra Leone - Canadian Red Cross
Clean water and adequate sanitation are the first protection against disease and
death at any time. But, in times of war, what little infra- structure there was, has
been destroyed. So digging new wells and latrines is vital.
The needs of children and youth affected by war are often quite different from
those of women, men and the elderly. These faces remind us that we in Canada
can help these children…
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Red Cross Projects in Sierra Leone - Canadian Red Cross
… move past their terrible experience of war and take their future into their own
hands.
This page can be found online at: http://www.redcross.ca/main.asp?id=005044
All content copyright © 1999-2003 Canadian Red Cross
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