After a busy week consisting of successful meetings, we had a day at World Hope to catch up on paperwork and update our materials. Amelie, Addy, and Nicole spent the morning preparing interview questions for the video we plan to make in collaboration with SHAFS. The rest of the team worked on polishing materials needed for the week ahead, including our in-progress partnership plan and more.
The team walked to the fruit stand for a lunch break and picked up some delectable bananas and cucumbers to snack on. Sierra Leone’s food lacks GMOs and takes on a more humble form than its American counterparts. The bananas, instead of being yellow, become ripe at a greener color and much smaller than anything you would find at a supermarket. The cucumbers were stout and filled with seeds, giving them a more watery texture than those in the United States. Although the produce is smaller, it is super flavorful, fresh, and delicious.
The next day the team had a slow start to the morning and slept in. Once at World Hope, the team prepared materials for a meeting with the DHMT. We had a shortened day at the office and left to go for a hike. We made our way through bumpy, small roads, and shortly arrived at a remote village, surrounded by denseforest. Due to the heavy rain throughout the day, instead of hiking, we drove down to the river area, crossing deep and wide puddles of muddy water. At the end of the path was a small clearing consisting of patchy grasses, fallen trees, and plenty of life. Despite the constant rain, the teams were all out in the rain, exploring and taking team photos. Large centipedes, spiders, butterflies, crickets, and more could be found all over the forest floor. During the wet season, the river swells and producesa strong current, easily visible from shore. With the end of our “hike” the teams returned to the village. While we waited for the third car to return, we started engaging with the local children. We taught some dances, gymnastics, and how to play hopscotch. The village is known for its palm wine production, a popular drink in Sierra Leone. To wrap up our afternoon, we all had the chance to try it. With some tasting, our teams agreed that its unique flavor was a blend of coconut water, red wine vinegar, and kombucha. After saying our goodbyes to the kids, we piled into the cruisers and headed out to end the day.
Although we had gone to the village for a hike, the process of getting to that community in the first place was extremely difficult. We talked together at dinner and it was hard to imagine that village receiving quality medical services of any kind. It was so far off the beaten path that health resources must be scarce or at least limited. The care these people receive most likely takes the form of herbal doctors or the occasional outreach nurse from a dedicated PHU.
