By Anna Laura Magyarlaki | Development Associate
It was early morning as Faith* left Bo, in the south of Sierra Leone. The city of some 180,000 inhabitants was just waking up, with people getting ready for their daily chores and dogs roaming the city looking for their first meal of the day. The bus to Freetown was full - day workers, excited relatives, people heading to Freetown in hope of a better future, a stable income, or better education perhaps. Faith settled into her seat, and stared out of the window, letting the images of the road to Freetown pass by swiftly as the bus gained speed. Just turned 18, she was heading to Monkey Bush, a slum community in Waterloo where her aunt lived, on the outskirts of Freetown.
Once in Monkey Bush, Faith ran into some unexpected trouble. Her aunt was away when she arrived, so she stayed with a neighbour until her arrival. Two nights later, during a routine police raid of the neighbourhood, her host was arrested for unlawful possession of marijuana, whilst Faith was taken in for vagabonding and loitering.
Faith didn’t have a lawyer and - on the advice of others in detention - she pleaded guilty. He received a sentence of 3 months detention or 500,000 Leones (approx. $50). Her family back in Bo didn’t have that kind of money - they could barely make ends meet, and Faith had no one else to turn to.
Fortunately, one of AdvocAid’s paralegals Mr Ayo was on his regular visit to the court when he learnt about Faith’s sentencing. Mr Ayo met with Faith to discuss her case and understand her circumstances. With thanks to donations AdvocAid receives through Global Giving, we were able to pay Faith’s 500,000 leone fine shortly after and secure her release from the Freetown Female Correctional Centre. Within minutes of paying the fine, Faith was at AdvocAid’s office in downtown Freetown, fidgeting happily. ‘She was in tears when I got her out. She couldn’t even eat her lunch!’ remembered Mr Ayo. Faith decided to return to her family in Bo and AdvocAid was able to provide funds for her transportation. As she left the office to catch her bus to Bo, Mr Ayo gave her parting words of encouragement and reassurance.
Today Faith is back with her family in Bo. Mr Ayo, alongside AdvocAid’s paralegals across the country, continues his critical work of monitoring police lock-ups and courts to help women just like her. Many young women like Faith come into conflict with the law just by being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. AdvocAid would not be able to support them without your continued help. On behalf of the people we work with, thank you for your generous donations to AdvocAid.
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