Scholarships for Cardiff children updated

While I was home in Hattiesburg in January, a former student of Bob’s, Raven Wilkes Tynes, offered to put on a fundraiser for the children who needed scholarships to continue going to school at the Cardiff Preparatory School. A few years ago Raven, along with her husband Paul, formed an organization called Six Mile Drought to raise money for water projects in Kenya. So when she saw my request for scholarships on this blog she offered her help. At the same time a high school student from Petal, Mississippi, Zach Martin, came to her wanting to do something for his senior project. She suggested our project and so in late January Zach organized a Coffee House evening for young people to learn about human rights and raise money to help support the children. I was able to attend and brought some information with me about Sierra Leone. Zach put up a great display with pictures of the children and their school. Mostly young people attended. There was music, dancing, food, and other displays on general human rights issues. In the end they were able to raise enough money to keep the four children in school for another year. I am so proud of these young people as it shows a real commitment to the needs of people in underdeveloped countries. Other friends made contributions as well and to all of you I thank you on behalf of the children.

This week I met with the parents of the children who are receiving scholarships and the deputy headmistress, Florence Kamara. The parents were so appreciative of the funds we were able to raise for the children as you can see through the photos. Paul Tynes designed the T-shirts, showing the silhouetted faces of the children against the background of the Sierra Leoneon flag, which were given to the children and their parents.

Isata with her father Sanussie Kamara

Ista came with her father Sanussie Kamara.who obviously cares a lot about his daughter and wants her to succeed in school. Isata is in 5th grade. Next year when she finishes elementary school she will sit for a test to enter secondary school. Her father makes a very meager living breaking larger stones into small ones for construction contractors.. His calloused, bruised hands show how hard this work is as he only uses hand tools and physical strength for this process.

Jestina with her mother Mariama Koroma

Jestina's father died leaving her mother Mariamu Koroma to raise her family on her own. Mariamu sells roasted cassava at a small roadside stand.

Minkialu and his mother Rebecca Koroma

Minkialu is being cared for by his mother Rebecca Koroma alone since his father died last year. She makes a very small living selling goods in the downtown market for other people.

Sarah with her grandmother Kaday Mansaray

Sarah is being taken care of by her grandmother Kaday Mansaray since her mother died giving birth to a younger sibling. Her father is trying to support the family the best that he can since his wife's death.

Seeking alternatives to campus violence
Recently a student was killed and several others hospitalized as the result of a campus club initiation at Fourah Bay College, where I teach human rights as a Fulbright fellow (2008=-2009). Turns out beatings, and rape of females, is a fairly regular part of campus club initiations, at least in recent years. And last year students destroyed their dormitories in a rampage that followed disputes between the rival ‘blacks’ and ‘whites’ over campus elections. (The faction names do not designate ethnicity.)
I usually don’t voice my opinion on issues in the classroom, but in my large (130 enrolled) freshman class on human rights, I spoke out strongly to condemn the violence in club initiations and suggested an alternative barrier to club membership: 25 hours of community service. Would graduates prefer to look back one day and tell their children ‘I beat up guys and raped women initiates,’ or say ‘I helped build a school?’
The general sentiment (I hope) in the classroom was against the violence. In the next class I challenged students to consider public statements against it. Several said privately (and one said in class) they were afraid of being beaten if they opposed this ugly norm.
So I have spoken to some of the campus elected leaders and we plan to meet soon to map out public ways to oppose violence and propose a difficult, but non-violent requirement for club initiation, such as community service. Stay tuned.

Obama; schools for Sierra Leone; research; Saharan dust

• Obama. Everyone I know in Freetown was scrambling around to find where to watch the inauguration on TV. The American Embassy provided live coverage in about ten locations; local restaurants featured it. I watched eight hours of live coverage with neighbors in a very modern, three-story house next door. It’s an exciting time for the U.S. – and the world.
The sentiment here is that Obama does not just belong to the Americans; he belongs to the world. And many people in our neighborhood still call out “Obama” when they see me. He is inspiring a lot of people at home and abroad. One commentator in the U.S., a Republican speech writer, suggested Obama’s ‘honeymoon’ might be a long one because the problems he faces are so big and everyone wants him – needs him – to succeed. McCain has said some supportive things recently about his ending torture and plans to close Guantanamo. Image shows children in Bo reading an Obama poster which is being sold in the market.

• Schools for Sierra Leone. Some ex-Peace Corps volunteers to Sierra Leone continue to stay abreast of developments in this country – and help when they can. A group of them have been raising funds for and building schools. Cindy Nofziger is Executive Director of a program called Schools for Salone (www.schoolsforsalone.org ) and has an on-going fund-raising and construction effort underway supported by ex PC volunteers and others.



• Research. I am moving ahead on my research, tracking down former human rights activists and democracy advocates about what they did and how from 1977-2003. It is not always easy to find them, but once I get a cell no. I’m on their trail. And everyone has been most receptive. I use a digital recorder and upload it onto my computer then start the long process of transcribing them.

• Dust. They call it harmattan; the dust that blows in off the Sahara desert. It is so thick that it has obscured the ocean a few miles below our apartment, and even part of the nearer valley. The dust slips in and makes you cough a lot, covering anything left out with a thin, almost invisible coating. But it doesn’t last forever, fortunately.