Sierra Leone: People-to-People |
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Dispatch 1 - Lungi | ||
Arrive at Lungi International Airport. Lungi is across the
mouth of the Sierra Leone River from Freetown -- twenty kilometers as the
crow flies. |
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Despite warnings on the Internet and in guide books, passing through Sierra Leone immigration was smooth and customs was almost invisible. The customs official started to get interested in the bicycle then left the tropic almost as quickly. There was none of the anticipated gauntlet of shakedowns for money and things.
The main international airport in Sierra Leone is in Lungi, across the mouth of the Sierra Leone River from Freetown (left). There is regular service from the north side of the river to Freetown by helicopter, water taxi or ferry boat. Most the air travelers passing through Lungi probably know it only as an airport and don't give much thought or have a clue to the extent that the surrounding community exists. As it is I have no pictures of the airport but had an interesting time visiting and taking photos in the near by communities where one hardly have a sense that the airport exists. Though few non-locals seem to patronize it, there is a small commercial area with a range of businesses covering; food stuffs, dry goods, household utensils, clothes, cell phones and adult beverages. There are also several guest houses, bars and Eliza's restaurant (left). Eliza's serves very good local dishes. The guest houses seem to cater to overnight guest who arrive the night before their flights to be in position for early morning departures from the airport.
Sierra Leone's populations is a mostly a mix of Christian and Moslem, but, while taking a meal at the restaurant a traditional masked (similar to the one on the left sidebar) and raffia cover dancer moved down the street. This public mask was for entertainment and provided no clue of how entrenched traditional religion was in the local population. The traditional role of masks we secretive to uninitiated people and encompassed connections to educational, administrative, religious and judicial role in the society.
A very enduring feature of a walk around the community is the kids. It also presents a concern -- there are a lot of them. About 50% of Sierra Leone's population is under 18 years old. The annual population growth rate is 3.4%. (source UNICEF). Schools are already over crowded and health facilities over stretched, but nation wide there capacity has to be increased by 3.4% every year, just to stay even.
Perhaps the largest economic sector in Lungi is fishing. It probably involves more people, but it may not generate as much value as the airport. Our excursion introduced us to: An older man repairing his fishing nets Younger men repairing their boat (pounding fibers into the cracks) Teams of people hauling in fish And, women delivering baskets for transporting dried taking fish to the market
In the North, the buzz for getting the word out is 'social media'. In Sierra Leone the availability of the Internet is rare. Television is common but not in every household. Of broadcast media, radio is the most common. There is social messaging on TV and radio, but a lot of getting the message out is still done by road side signs. Here is a collection from the main road near Lungi airport: AIDS prevention message because "Mobile cares about you." You have a responsibility to support the promotion of good governance and sustainable development. Promote the rights and equality of women. Independence means depends on domestic resources. Pay your taxes. |
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