Provide Flood and Landslide Relief in Sierra Leone

The flood victims lost everything! Their stories are heart-rending:

• “My mother and Father are still missing since the flood,” said a seven-year-old boy. 
• A woman told us “I am the only survivor. My whole family of 6 got affected. I was on my way from the mosque for prayers and saw everything that happened with my own eyes. I want to die too, as there is no reason to be alive after my husband and my five children all perished.”
• “My uncle and aunty who paid my high school fees are no longer alive. They drowned! I saw the water dragging my aunty away. I am undone! Totally finished.”
• “My younger brother lost his wife and three children. He is now isolating himself from everyone. He has suicidal thoughts.”

Based on our estimate, the Hill Station camp has in total 187 occupants. As of September 17^th, we had engaged 88 survivors/victims.

• Male: 47
• Female: 28
• Children: 13
  
  

Based on our interview/interaction with them, here is a summary of their mental states / current concerns

• Depressed and in a state of confusion
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of interest in daily activities and life
• Hallucination and loneliness
• Negative thoughts and withdrawal from other people.
• Heavy drinking and smoking and eating lots of cola nuts
• Sleep deprivation
• Loss of hope for a future that looks bleak.
• Problem of accommodation and lack of help from the government and donors
• The issue of continuing education for children and some youths.  Kids are out of school
• Wishing to return back to their normal way of life by engaging themselves appropriately.
• Insufficient clothing for women and children to protect from the cold rainy weather
• Tents are uncomfortable/inconvenient:  when it rains, they become waterlogged. When it’s hot, it is scorching-hot inside.

A typical example of this is Jane – who we shared about in the last report and in this video.

You can read some specific interview summaries at the following link. The summaries give you a peek into their world and what they went through. Jane’s is the first on the list - Summaries of Summary of Psycho-Social Counseling Interviews of Flood-Affected Survivors (PDF). 

Based on this, we are continuing to provide counseling to the survivors/victims and offering psychosocial support.   This counseling includes how to deal with trauma and stress. It also includes encouraging the victims on how to start over again – restoring hope and suggesting new opportunities that they could pursue. 

We are talking them through the crisis and the loss of their loved ones/family members. Group counseling and discussion are essential to their wellbeing as well as follow-ups. Counseling sessions are provided by a Mental health doctor, nursing sisters, nurses and students from the Medical Students Association. 

Video: See support activities at Hill station

The victims, however, need more than counseling as indicated in the PDF linked above.  

How We Plan to Continue To Help:

• Coordinating the needs and concerns of the victims/survivors with necessary partners and institutions in charge.
• Provide remedial classes for over 70 kids who are out of school.  This will help ensure that the kids do not fall back / regress with their education
• Support children with school supplies, uniforms school fees and help them get re-admitted into the school system
• Provide clothing and toiletries
• Support mudslide/flooding victims re-integrate back into society by introducing business opportunities. The provision of micro-credit or microfinance capital will help them start up small businesses and sustain their livelihood.
• Technical and vocational assistance for dropouts interested in furthering their education. This training will help them re-enter the workforce
• Help cover the rental costs of housing for a year for selected families. This will help them leave the camp and re-integrate into society. This is the largest roadblock that the survivors are facing at the moment.
  
  

How YOU Can Help:
We, however, will not be able to do this without your help. Could you help the survivors get back on their feet by making a donation of $100 today?  Thank you for joining us in helping them get back on track with their lives.

 With deep appreciation
The Develop Africa Team

Links:

• Video: Activities for the kids and psycho-social counselling