Sierra Leone News

Posts Tagged ‘freetown’

In terms of sanitation things are better than a few years ago but there’s still a mighty long way to go. Several years ago, rubbish collection was more or less non-existent and I remember when there was a big pile of rubbish at Lumley roundabout and the taxi I was using got stuck there with no way to roll the windows up except for  the driver to get down and physically pull the windows up!!!  Oh my,  I still laugh when I remember it. Thankfully that pile of rubbish has been cleared.

But really rubbish on the streets is no laughing matter. For the past 10 months or so, rubbish collection has been getting better, that is, until about 2 weeks ago. One only has to watch the news to see how Haiti is suffering with cholera. God forbid that in Sierra Leone,

So here are 3 reasons why Freetown needs cleaning up and stay clean:

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Ok, I thought I should post this so you know the current Internet prices PLUS service offered here in Freetown.

This section is close to my heart – after all, I use the internet service to update this blog.

Internet access is so expensive here, it’s a joke! Especially, when you consider how *crappy* (Excuse my french) most of the services are.

When we arrived in Jan, 2008, there was no credible internet service apart from Comium, Iptel and maybe some others I don’t know. Zain had still not launched their Edge GSM service. I initially went to an internet cafe (FGC) to test for about a week. I couldn’t even download a simple photo let alone watch a video on Youtube. It was so slowwwww….I could literally count about 20-30 cars through the window before the page I wanted loaded!!!!

They assured me that if I bought a monthly bundle it’ll be better. Being desparate, I spent $300 ($200 for their dodgy equipment and $100 for a month of surfing at home). One of my worst buys as I had to physically carry the “antenae” and see if I could catch their signal!! Imagine?? In fact, I was stationed in the balcony most of the time.

Anyway by February 2008, Zain launched and this is what I’ve been using from home since – it cost $80 / month! Yup! (Excluding $190 startup for their “equipment”) In my opinion, it’s the best among a BAD lot if there’s any such thing.

Needless to say, there are 3 ways you can surf generally:

Internet cafe - Definite No No ….unless you’re desparate. An hour costs about Le 2000 – Le 5000 but because it’s so slow, you’ll end up spending that just to get on Yahoo frontpage!

Surf from Home - Companies such as Zain and Comium are offering this for around $70 – $80 a month but you have to pay for the equipment which will normally cost between $150 – $250. There’s no FREE trial here so if you invest and you don’t like it, tough! I use Zain for now. Sierratel seems to have joined the competition. As of this week, my hubby is testing them in his office and I’ll update blog as to our findings.

Business Packages - IPtel seems to be the best and is used in a number of offices. To use it cost whopping $195/month PLUS equipment. This equipment includes a dish which makes surfing with them faster.

So that’s a jist of what surfing is like in Salone – expensive, slow and unreliable especially in the rainy season!

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Now, talk about a trip to well…not quite heaven but something awesome! My hubby came up with the suggestion (he’s a romantic at heart ) to picnic at the top of Freetown’s highest peak.

So we loaded up our goodies and headed for Leicester Peak. The children were truly excited and couldn’t keep calm. For anyone who lives in Freetown, the approach can be daunting and you always wonder how you’ll get there.

I’ve been at Leicester Peak several times before but never have I seen it like this:  the summit was literally covered in clouds. By the time we got to the top, visibility was down to only a few feet. It was an awesome experience and quite rightly my daughter commented on being able to touch the clouds! Needless to say, we enjoyed the super cool temperature (@ about 23 celsius ) plus the contents of our picnic basket having spread our blanket at the back of the car.

There were a few other tourists there who took endless pictures….

Once again, another highly recommended place to visit when in Freetown….:)

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Today, I woke up and thought I should write this post just to give people (especially Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora) an idea as to what they can do to contribute to the development of our beloved Sierra Leone! By all means, there may be better suggestions. If you have one, feel free to leave your comment.

Now, for you who’s thinking, I’d love to return but whats there for me to do?

First of all think, what have you got? What skills have you got?

• Are you a doctor? A nurse?

You might be thinking, they’ll not be able to pay me. Good, that may be true, but have you thought of setting up your own clinic or hospital that can be used by ordinary people and give you income as well. And perhaps you could partner with other Sierra Leonian doctors or nurses to make this work? To be honest, the health service in Sierra Leone, is the LOWEST of the low. Quite frankly, the poor sanitation PLUS the smell – and this is not just on the streets – but in the hospitals will leave your mouth gaping or rather closed. But you know better, so why can’t you come and help? Or you could come up with and idea / business plan and get the NGO’s on board. I leave that to you.

• Are you an accountant?

An honest one? If so Sierra Leone needs you. If nothing at all you may be able to help to stem the tide of corruption.

• Are you a lawyer?

You could set up a practice and help protect the poor from injustice. I’ve seen several cases where people have been put in jail as a result of somebody’s personal vendetta. Well, if you have no money, you’re bound to stay there for a while.

• Are you a cleaner abroad?

Rising up when everyone one else is sleeping to perform your duties? Why, you can set up a cleaning company here and do very well plus have some dignity as well.

Really, the opportunities here in Salone are endless! You have to come and see for yourself.

• Are you a teacher?

Good. 70% of Sierra Leoneans are illiterate and believe you me, the percentage of the “educated” who are truly literate is even smaller. In fact, some of the teachers here are not qualified themselves let alone teach others. (Believe me, I know a teacher who didn’t finish O’Levels!) Which is why last years SSS results for Sierra Leone were so poor, it’ll make you cry.

There are good schools springing up especially primary. What can you contribute? How about setting up your own school or nursery? Nothing is impossible here.

• Are you unemployed living on government handouts abroad?

Or may be hard times have befallen you? Ask yourself, is there something you can give to Sierra Leone that the UK, America or others don’t necessarily need? Everyone, has got a gift. What is yours? If it’s not needed where you are, wake up, smell the coffee and come home and help.

• Are you a pastor?

In fact, we need you even more desparately. I always wonder why, non-African missionaries came and set up the best schools in Africa. Some even died of malaria. I know because, the missionary school I went to (Wesley Girls High School in Ghana ) was set up by missionaries and some of them paid a HEAVY price – even with their lives! As a pastor, what can you do for Sierra Leone?

Here, here, I’m being blatant about people coming back to help. The fact is, most (not all) Sierra Leonans I met abroad are not doing that great either. It saddens me to see Africans languishing on governement handouts and living in squalor abroad when they could do much better at home knowing that at least they did something for their country.(yes…I may be touching nerves here)

Yeah, you might say, “there’s too much corruption, I have to grease peoples hands in order to start a business…” Well, that may be true, but a trickle of honest people like you coming and standing their ground will change the facts on the ground or very soon you’ll see a president in Sierra Leone who’s foreign ( na lie? – it’s not impossible!!)

Quite frankly, foreigners are making it here so why can’t you? On the plane from England recently, I noticed so many so-called “foreigners” coming? Ask yourself why are they coming? What is here that they coming for? If you see the glass half empty, someone is seeing it half full! While you might winge and come up with all the excuses why not, others are building empires right here in Sierra Leone. And yes, by the time you come, the portion of the pie left for you will be too small and guess what you might go back in frustration.

I’ll stop here…I’ve got more to say but I’ll do that later. I hope this has given you ideas.