Blog
Time for Politics to Take a Back Seat
January was a quiet month in Sierra Leone. The excitement of elections moved seamlessly into Christmas and New Year celebrations and left the country with a communal hangover. The result was an uncharacteristically quiet start to the year. The culmination of the ‘national hangover’ was one of the worst fuel crisis’ in years lasting over a week and resulting in some very large and boisterous queues across the city.
With the population and their cars refuelled and re-energised the country is now looking to the government to implement the ‘Agenda for Prosperity’ on which they campaigned. President Ernest Bai Koroma is in his second and final term, presenting him with an opportunity to put politics to one side and make difficult decisions that will ensure a ‘prosperous’ future for Sierra Leone.
So far, the government have displayed a willingness to make difficult decisions on some issues while displaying worrying short-sightedness on others. Last month, they moved petty traders off the roads in the centre of town as well as tightening up regulations on the popular Okada (Motorbike) taxis. The move on street traders was particularly controversial, putting many livelihoods at risk and one could argue the centre of town has lost much of its charm. But it was an important decision to clean up the streets and present Freetown as a capital open for business.
In stark contrast, last month also saw a law passed allowing sand mining to continue on the peninsular beaches six days a week. As documented in this excellent article, while sand mining is creating jobs for the young, it is endangering one of the country’s greatest assets, its beaches. Anyone who has travelled to Sierra Leone will testify to its stunning coastline. Mining it is not only an environmental tragedy it is an economic one robbing the country of its huge tourism potential.
2012, with its peaceful elections, was seen as a landmark year for Sierra Leone but it is now that the hard work really begins. The President and his government are faced with the challenge of controlling rapid development. They will need to find a balance between creating jobs for the unemployed and protecting the countries assets for future generations. At this critical stage it is time for politics to take a back seat.
Sierra Leone’s vote of confidence
‘There will be no violence’, Ibrahim our local carpenter told us weeks ago. ‘And a run off?’ (where neither party achieves 55% majority). ‘No, no run off’ he told us confidently. Yet the international community braced itself for the worst. Offices were closed, staff pulled back from the field and some even flown out of the country.
When I looked around and observed peaceful processions, people quickly reminded me that one small spark could set everything off. I have even held back writing this article until the SLPP accepted defeat, something that they did on Monday. I think that organisations were right to ere on the side of safety as we did, but when you look back on events you cannot help but wonder what all the fuss was about?
Saturday 17th November was the day the nation went to the polls. With a driving ban in place, we spent the morning walking around the local community. The streets, usually filled with the noise of cars, were uncharacteristically quiet, filled just with the hums of muted excitement. The crowds were orderly and well organised as people gathered outside the local polling station. Exited voters proudly displayed their inked fingers, a symbol of their right to democracy. The day can only be described as uplifting and the people of Sierra Leone were clearly proud of the way it was being run.
The week that followed was one of rumour and intrigue. Everyone seemed to have a new source that could definitely confirm the result, but nothing official came until the following Friday. With news of an impending announcement, we gathered around the television to watch. When Ernest Bai Koroma’s victory was confirmed by an impressive 58.7% margin a huge roar went up around the city. Even more impressive was the 87.3% voter participation a figure over double that of the UK election in 2011. People took to the streets, music blaring and pots and pans clattering. It was an amazing display of excitement, relief and joy. SLPP supporters were nowhere to be seen, but they were not going to ruin the party.
The day after the night before saw quite a few sore heads but also a feeling of excitement of what lies ahead. When speaking to SLPP supporters they were disappointed by the result. But they all spoke of a respect for Koroma and delight that the election had passed without problems acknowledging that this was a great day for the country.
Sierra Leone still faces very serious challenges and the next five years will not be easy for Koroma. Corruption is still rife in government, youth unemployment figures are high and education and health care provision are inadequate. But the election signifies that Sierra Leone is heading in the right direction and the world is finally starting to see the country in the same peaceful, welcoming way its people do.
After the results BBC International Development correspondent Mark Doyle tweeted ‘After these well run elections I promise never again to use the phrase ‘war-torn Sierra Leone’. A big step for the international community, but one that Sierra Leoneans like Ibrahim took a long time ago.
Party Politics: Election Fever sweeps Sierra Leone but there are serious matter to be debated
In Sierra Leone, Politics means a good excuse for a party. There is no space for the stuffiness usually associated with the subject. With one candidate using the slogan ‘When the music’s nice, play it twice’, you know there will be some fun. Over the past fortnight, each party has had its chance to parade through the town, dressed head to toe in their colours chanting slogans of support for their candidate. In one rally, the candidate threw party coloured footballs into the adoring crowd. Everywhere you go, people are talking (and dancing) politics and with just 10 days until the country goes to the polls, the race is too close to call.
Alongside the fun, there are serious matters to be debated. Sierra Leone is at a critical point in its development. Despite some progress, Sierra Leone’s recovery remains fragile and the country ranks 180 of 187 on the UNDP development index with 77% of Sierra Leone’s living in poverty and 62.79% living on less than $1.25 a day (UNDP Multidimensional Poverty Index 2011). Youth unemployment is staggering high with 70% underemployed or unemployed and 50% illiterate and unskilled (Joint Response to Youth Employment in Sierra Leone 2010). In recent global competitivity report, Sierra Leone ranked 143 out of 144. Infrastructure, corruption and an uneducated workforce were amongst the biggest barriers to development, but topping all of these was the lack of access to financial support.
Microfinance organisations are trying to address this issue, but many do not have the capacity to support those who most need it. Currently, many small business owners are seen as too risky to receive loans despite vast experience in trade. This is because they are unable to show adequate book keeping skills to prove their business viable and do not have an organisation to act as a guarantor. Loan officers, many fresh from University, who could provide training and mentoring to this group, do not themselves currently feel confident enough to provide the support needed.
Capacity building organisation The Collective – Sierra Leone have just agreed a partnership with Salone Microfinance Trust (SMT) to try and address this issue and help SMT towards its mission to ‘reduce poverty among the economically active poor by providing sustainable access to financial services’. In January, with the support of talented professionals from around the world who believe in using business to fight poverty, we will launch a pilot project to establish a framework that will allow the economically active poor, who were previously seen as too risky for a loan, to have access to microfinance.
Take Fatuma for example, a small business owner who needs capital to build his business. He works with wood and carpentry and has many clients but needs to build a proper workshop space with a proper cover and some more equipment if he wants to grow his business. He doesn’t qualify for a loan today because he is illiterate and has not been keeping records of his accounts. He knows his trade and how to run the rest of his business inside out, he is just lacking the business training and book keeping and therefore is deemed too risky to receive a loan.
The training will not only provide beneficiaries with the necessary skills to access and make best use of loans, but also provide training for the loan officers so they can also deliver the training and provide the necessary mentoring support. Loan officers at SMT are typically straight from university with no previous work experience but really wish to move on from being just a relationship partner to being more of a business advisor. However, they lack the business acumen and confidence to act as business partner advisors to their clients. Their time is predominantly spent in the field, checking-in with their existing clients and locating new ones. Currently, they are at a dead end and cannot offer a solution to new clients who need more support. They do not have the skills to support them to develop their skills and SMT has not got the resources or expertise to do so either.
The programme will allow SMT to not only provide loans, but also be involved in ideas generation, business planning, and ongoing support for their recipients, and have a closer relationship which will reduce the likelihood of the loan being defaulted on. In doing so we will significantly widen the number of recipients SMT can support (with a target of 70). If this pilot in the Bombali district is successful, the model could then be replicated in other regions and the number of beneficiaries reached greatly increased.
Whoever the people choose come November 17th will be responsible for guiding the country through a critical stage in its development. With foreign investors waiting to take advantage of the countries rich mineral resources, it is vital that the money is properly managed and capacity built so that everyone can benefit.
If you are a skilled professional interested in joining the team for this exciting pilot, visit www.thecollectivesl.co.uk
or e-mail Charlie at charlie@thecollectivesl.co.uk
Strengthening our partnership with SMT
This week, we signed a very exciting new partnership with our partners Salone Microfinance Trust (SMT) which will take our commitment to the organisation and its beneficiaries one step further.
Since her arrival, volunteer Giulia has been working very hard supporting the work of SMT. Early on she saw an opportunity for The Collective to help SMT towards its mission to ‘reduce poverty among the economically active poor by providing sustainable access to financial services’.
Currently, many small business owners are seen as too risky to receive loans despite vast experience in trade. This is because they are unable to show adequate book keeping skills to prove their business viable and do not have an organisation to act as a guarantor. Loan officers, many fresh from University, who could provide training and mentoring to this group, do not themselves currently feel confident enough to provide the support needed.
This is why we have partnered with SMT to launch a pilot project in January to establish a framework that will allow the economically active poor, who were previously seen as too risky for a loan, to have access to microfinance.
By recruiting and supporting talented professionals from around the world who believe in using business to fight poverty we will support SMT to create a robust training and mentoring programme for groups of individuals who were previously deemed too risky.
Take Fatuma for example, a small business owner who needs capital to build his business. He works with wood and carpentry and has many clients but needs to build a proper workshop space with a proper cover and some more equipment if he wants to grow his business. He doesn’t qualify for a loan today because he is illiterate and has not been keeping records of his accounts. He knows his trade and how to run the rest of his business inside out, he is just lacking the business training and book keeping and therefore is deemed too risky to receive a loan.
The training will not only provide beneficiaries with the necessary skills to access and make best use of loans, but also provide training for the loan officers so they can also deliver the training and provide the necessary mentoring support. Loan officers at SMT are typically straight from university with no previous work experience but really wish to move on from being just a relationship partner to being more of a business advisor. However, they lack the business acumen and confidence to act as business partner advisors to their clients. Their time is predominantly spent in the field, checking-in with their existing clients and locating new ones. Currently, they are at a dead end and cannot offer a solution to new clients who need more support. They do not have the skills to support them to develop their skills and SMT has not got the resources or expertise to do so either.
The programme will allow SMT to not only provide loans, but also be involved in ideas generation, business planning, and ongoing support for their recipients, and have a closer relationship which will reduce the likelihood of the loan being defaulted on. In doing so we will significantly widen the number of recipients SMT can support (with a target of 70). If this pilot in the Bombali district is successful, the model could then be replicated in other regions and the number of beneficiaries reached greatly increased.
The pilot comes at an extremely important time in Sierra Leone’s development. The country has seen large improvements in the past ten years, but major challenges remain. Among them is the alarmingly high level of poverty, unemployment and underemployment, especially among the youth, women and other vulnerable groups.
Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) cite research presented at the ‘Impact and Policy Conference’ 2012 in Bangkok which found that two of the biggest barriers to small and medium enterprises (SME’s) in small and middle income countries were access to finance to individuals, and a lack of managerial and business skills in loan officers. The partnership will tackle this issue and in turn help provide jobs for the many young looking for work.
We have already begun to build our team to help deliver this programme in January but still need a couple more skilled professionals to help ensure this exciting pilot is a success. So if you are interested in joining the team read more about the role here or e-mail Charlie at charlie@thecollectivesl.co.uk
Introducing our new Managing Director!
Our new Managing Director Alex Farrington, has joined Charlie in Freetown!
Here’s what he has to say about himself;
‘I’ve been involved with The Collective since the very beginning, and co-founded the organisation with Charlie in 2011, but have been working in London and Birmingham for another youth charity until this summer.
My background is in the voluntary sector. I’ve been working for various charities over the past 5 years, designing and delivering training programmes, coaching young people, supporting social enterprise development, and managing large scale volunteering programmes both in the UK and in Africa. Supporting people, wherever they are from, to realise and then work towards their goal is something that I’m extremely passionate about, and what gets me out of bed in the morning!
I’ve now joined the team as Managing Director in Freetown, and will be responsible for continuing to expand the work that we do, ensuring that we make a real difference, and developing the support we offer both organisations and volunteers.
It feels so great to be back in Freetown, and I’m really starting to get back into the swing of working out here- with all it’s challenges I’m already becoming quite attached!!’
Alex
Giulia’s first impression’s of Makeni and SMT
Just when I thought I had mastered the most rudimentary Krio in John Obey Village I find out that the principle language here is Temne not Krio. In fact Makeni, like many of the bigger town in Sierra Leone, is made up of different tribe lines as an older gentlemen on the street was telling me today and so too different languages. He himself only speaks Krio as he is of the Mende tribe line who usually reside in their highest numbers in and around the towns of Kenema and Bo in the eastern part of the country. Settling in to our new little house in New London, Makeni has been made so much easier thanks to our two lovely housekeepers and hosts really Alusine and Fatmata. Being used to having volunteers for a start means it is a welcome respite to come home and be able to chat away to them without the staring and constant interjections of “Oporto” being thrown at you. Fatmata is our cook, she is lovely and arrives around seven in the morning to get breakfast ready and then comes back again in the late afternoon to prepare dinner which has been so far a series of delicious currys, the pumpkin and the bean curry being our favourites so far. Alusine is the son of the local Imam and is the loveliest smiling 22 year old is one of 21 brothers and sisters across three mothers and is also a fantastic football player. He keeps the house in order which includes fetching our water from the well for our washing but he also is already becoming a great friend and minder! On my way back from work on my first day with SMT I got completely lost and ended up enlisting the help of this really sweet fifteen year old boy who was playing football nearby and could tell I was clearly lost called Junior. He was already escorting me in the right direction very happy it seemed, to have a chance to practice his English, when Alusine, who I had called just before, rocked up on his friend’s motorbike laughing at me for being so useless so soon and took him safely home.
Our house in the New London district sits at the foot of Wusum Mountain which should be an easy enough landmark but somehow I always get the last stretch home wrong, mainly because there is no clear sense of a road, certainly not is any straight line so you have to
walk through and between a series of houses and gardens, groups of children and washing lines before finding it. This ends up being the
most fun part of the day so far in my experience because I end up striking up new acquaintances in the process. Friday for example I was on my way back home and wanted to stop by the football field behind our house because Alusine told me he would be playing there with his local team. Alex (The Collective) had told me Alusine was really a very good player. When I turned my housemates Nick and Luca where nowhere to be seen, it had started to rain to, so all the Sierra Leonian supporters had gathered under the pavilion. I must have painted quite a funny picture in my bright blue Kway, the only girl to be seen in the stadium, and a white one at that. Three guys who were slightly set apart from the main throng still under the pavilion called out to me as I walked past squinting through the rain to say come on under and shelter from the rain. I got chatting to Mohamed and his friend Alusine who turned out to be friends of our own Alusine and really fun guys. Mohamed works with Fawo which is an organisation promoting women’s rights here in Sierra Leone. It is still very much a patriarchal society here in Sierra Leone and as Mohamed explained it is common for men very much still to boss women around with little respect for their wishes. It is great to see however that such a society as his exists now and that a young man like him is actively supporting it. In fact walking around Makeni, there is no shortage of youth advocacy and empowerment groups and women’s support groups, many of which are internationally funded, I have seen the mark of Britain, US but also Italy, Spain and Ireland here.
Since mastering a few new Temne works thanks to Alusine over games of cards in the evening and the Bradt guide left behind in the house by previous volunteers I have noticed a big difference in people’s attitudes towards me. When you walk down the street here I find the people may look initially like they are scowling at you but if you give them a big smile and greet them -“To-mo-bua”, “In-di-rei!” – they will open up to a lovely big smile and greet you back. Again Saturday when I left the boys in the football cinema (which is a shack opposite the Imam’s house where there are two televisions perched on a shelf and rows of wooden seats) to go home I got lost. Again people came to my aid, one couple recognized from seeing me earlier and asked where I was headed as I looked lost. I told them I thought I was fine that I was nearby for sure but they looked at me kindly and said “We want to make it easier for you, let us help you”. Sure enough after a few short conversations with the neighbours nearby they pointed me in the right direction. I guess the only house with the “Oporto”s living in it is hard for them to forget. I’ve finally got my bearings now thank goodness. Yesterday after an afternoon siesta I conked out in the heat after walking around the market under the scorching midday sun and then sitting to watch a Champions League game with Nick and Luca (other volunteers) in a small dark shack packed with about thirty excited Sierra Leonians. When I woke up I heard Fatmata cooking outside so I went out to chat to her and check out what our evening meal was going to be. When I was outside an elderly lady who is the grandmother of the house opposite us came up to say hello, following by a gaggle of little kids. After greeting one another in my best effort at Temne she said some things pointing at me to Fatmata. The kids were cowering behind the lady and staring at me wide eyed, giggling. When I asked Fatmata what she had said after she had gone she told me she said that I was a young girl, not yet mature and was pointed at my boobs and bum! Hehe lucky I am not actually Sierra Leonian otherwise I would struggle to find any men interested in me at all apparently!
Salone Microfinance Trust seems so far to be a great organization and I am really happy to have the chance to do some work with them over the next three months. Ive just spent the first couple of days in orientation so spending time with the Finance, HR and Operations
Managers to get to know the workings of SMT inside out. Next week starts the fun part, I was told I will be travelling to their branches
in the provinces too which will be great. My chat with Solomon Obey, Operations Managers was particularly interesting. There are some areas I think they could definitely improve their process such as in the group lending monitoring and client relationship management and some of their own internal application of their many policies and guidelines. For the first time this year it feels quite work-y, I felt like I use pulling on my experience with CEB and consultant mind frame for the best time. It felt good though. I hope I can really help make a positive impact in my time with them, they keep saying that I have a rich CV and they are lucky to have me but it’s hard to garner people’s actual sentiments here. For example in general, if you are talking to a Sierra Leonian and you ask a question, before you have even finished asking it they will be saying yes and agreeing with whatever you are saying. Whilst not exactly like that with SMT as it is really quite a professional organization there is still that element I feel so far of flat out concurrence, whatever your argument. Sooooo here goes to my first full week with SMT!
Introducing new volunteer Nick Warmoth…
1) Age: 23
2)Home Town: Caistor, Lincolnshire
3) Previous Job/Experience: Sales Assistant WHSmith and Co-Operative, Work Experience at a number of Primary and Secondary Schools, Tefl Teacher in China
4) Hobbies: Travelling, Sport, Reading, History and Politics, Cooking
5) One interesting fact: I cycled down Death Road in La Paz
6) Why did you join The Collective?
First and foremost I want to do something which makes a difference and which is challenging, I believe that The Collective provides me with the opportunity to accomplish this. I have recently been accepted onto the ‘Teach First’ graduate scheme. I thus feel that the Collective is a perfect placement and learning curve in preparation for this. It will allow me to develop many important skills which I will need when teaching, such as communication and patience. It will also allow me to achieve something meaningful, not only for myself, but also for people who can benefit from what I have to offer. Having had experience of a 6 month TEFL teaching placement in China, I enjoyed immersing myself within a foreign culture and traditions and would love the opportunity to have a similar experience in a different country. I want the opportunity to volunteer in a country where my presence can make a difference. Sierra Leone is a country which has emerged from a devastating civil war and many communities lack many basic amenities which we take for granted. Although not directly linked with providing these, The Collective offers the training and education for people to begin to build a sustainable infrastructure, something which is vital in the development of a country. It is this sustainability and not for profit philosophy of The Collective which makes it an attractive proposition. It is not about simply giving aid to people, it builds relationships, it educates, and it teaches the people of Sierra Leone how to be self sufficient. It is a long term project, where my contribution can be felt in the present and in the future. When I leave my input remains and can be passed on. It is for these reasons why I joined The Collective.
7) What do you hope to achieve on your placement?
The most important thing I hope to achieve is mutual benefit. It is very important that both myself and the people who rely on The Collective view my presence there as a success. On a personal level I hope to come away having enjoyed my experience, grown as a person and learnt about myself and made a real difference on the project. I think that if my presence on the volunteer programme can make even the slightest difference for the people of Sierra Leone then I will have achieved something special. I hope to build relationships with people and gain their respect and confidence whilst improving their lives and prospects.
Introducing new volunteer Giulia Tavolato
1) Age: 27
2) Home Town: Turin, Italy
3) Previous Job/Experience
Worked in business development for a management consultancy four years until December 2011. This year I have been travelling and carrying out volunteer work through South America and now, Africa with the view to move into the third sector full time as of next year.
4) Hobbies
Singing (anywhere and a lot of the time) and music generally, film, travel and I enjoy good food and wine.
5) One interesting fact about yourself: I was born on Friday 13th, so in fact I make 13 my lucky number.
6) Why did you join The Collective?
I wanted to volunteer in Africa but contribute in a way that was meaningful and using my skills gained through my previous work experience. The SaloneMicroFinanceTrust (SMT) looked like a great Sierra Leonian organisation where I could lend my skills as well as gain new ones. The Collective provided this opportunity to me as well as a great support network which I felt I needed on my trip to West Africa.
7) What do you hope to achieve on your placement?
I will be the first Collective volunteer with SMT so I want to maximise this opportunity to really make a different and help advance, improve and shape their projects. I hope to innovate and contribute in some way outside of what is expected and required of me during my time with SMT. I hope also to gain a greater understanding of the local economics and social standing so that I may help in a more informed way in the future.
Introducing new volunteer Luca Marelli
Age: 22
Home town: Milan,Italy
Previous job/experience: Just obtained an MSc in Neuroscience from UCL. Part of the Teach First 2013 cohort.
Hobbies: football, golf, music, film and travelling
Fact about myself: I once won a signed shirt from Morten Gamst Pedersen, the Blackburn Rovers player. (I was probably the only person who entered the competition)
Why I chose The Collective: The Collective offer unique and challenging placements, with the real opportunity to make a difference inSierra Leone. In particular, I’m a firm believer in the power of sport and education as tools for development so the Craig Bellamy Foundation really stood out in this regard. On a more personal level, I also see the placement as an optimal way to develop key skills that will put me in good stead when I start Teach First.
What I hope to achieve: I hope to have a positive impact in the country, helping to take forward existing projects and starting new ones for the next volunteers to expand and implement. In the process, I hope to come away from the experience with improved knowledge about Sierra Leonean customs and its people.
Against the odds: One Paralympian’s dream
The London 2012 Paralympics mark The Collective’s first birthday, so naturally, we’re all keen to see the athletes do their country proud and help increase awareness of some of the inspirational stories that shows Sierra Leone as a place where people can and do flourish against all the odds.
The Sierra Leonean Paralympic delegation this year consists of one man, Mohamed Kamara (pictured above). He will be competing in the men’s T46 classification 100m and 200m, and with a personal best of 11.65 seconds, he’s set to turn heads.
Mohamed is a shining example of resilience, one of the key skills that The Collective aims to instill in our volunteers. He was still a child when the rebel war erupted into Sierra Leone from Liberia, and like many victims of the war, he still bears the scars today. When asked about his disability, Mohamed described how when rebels attacked his village they ‘chopped our hands and they killed my mother and father in front of me’.
Due to medical complications, Mohamed had to have his entire arm amputated, something that attracted the taunts of bullies which would lead many to despair. Instead, he started running, and in 2002 was scouted by his current coach Abu Bakar Conteh who saw someone bursting with potential. ‘He’s a man with dedication, he’s a man with talent, he’s a man with determination …so all those difficulties and discouragement he does absorb it and take courage for himself in order to pursue his talent’.
Mohamed is desperate to do his country proud and raise awareness of disability issues. ‘I’m going to do it. I’m going to prove it, to take the Salone flag higher. To take the nation higher’.
Mohamed will be competing in the men’s T46 100m and 200m, so keep your eye out for him and give him a cheer!
200m qualifiers
Friday 31st – 21.00
200m final
Sunday 2nd- 19.30
100m qualifiers
Thursday 6th- 11.38
100m final
Thursday 6th- 20.04