Development Committees
Friday, 8 June
We woke up to thunder and rain, and I knew instantly that my class schedule for the day went from highly impractical to completely hopeless. I ventured over to the internet cafe and made several contacts - the manager of the petrol station, a man who coordinates a sports ministry for several churches, and a Chinese official who is here for two years implementing agricultural technology improvements upcountry. I walked by hundreds of photographs pleading to be taken, but as soon as I take out my camera, people stare and point, say "snap me," or tell me to put it away. It's impossible.
After eating our typical breakfast of bread and mangos, we pack our bags and prepare to leave the National Stadium Hostel. It's not bad, with running water and a bathroom in the room, but at 51,000 Le a night, it's a tad expensive. Perhaps more importantly, we need a change of scenery, as we are there nearly 24 hours a day, either in our room or at IEARN, and are the only Westerners in the entire National Stadium Hostel - it's rather lonely.
Around noon, an hour and a half after my first class was to have started, a few of my students finally arrive and I'm just about ready to take them out on our first photography trip. However, Andrew arrives and says that I should probably have a letter to explain what we are doing when we're questioned, so he sends a student to fetch fuel for the generator, which takes another thirty minutes and then writes the letter. As a result, the morning photography session doesn't start until 1:15, almost three hours late.
I distributed digital point and shoot cameras to six students - the four from the morning session (they all showed up!) and two who were there early from the 2pm afternoon session. I give Abu my Nikon DSLR, because as much as I would like to use it, Abu will be able pictures that I'd never be able to even consider.
After a quick review of the essentials and an analysis of a picture I found in "The Photography Book" by Phaidon, we walked down to Kroo Bay, which is an area just a few blocks from the Stadium. Kroo Bay is a typical Freetown neighborhood, with abject poverty just a few feet from the main road, which itself appears to be fairly prosperous. I've posted a few pictures below:
I was pleasantly surprised by the pictures, especially because we have yet to discuss any of the more technical or creative aspects of creating an image.
Unfortunately, a certain Saidu of the Kroo Bay Development Committee intervened in the session. Apparently I should have talked to the chief of the area beforehand, informing him of the details of the project. He was quite concerned that our photographs would showcase an overly negative image of Kroo Bay. While at first I was worried this would be most problematic, Saidu was not against the project, he just wants us to do interviews and talk to the community leaders to ensure that we have more than just images of poor people. Kroo Bay has actually improved dramatically in the last few years, as it used be an incredibly dangerous area, but is now quite safe - I never felt threatened. Hopefully, I'll be able to meet with the Development Committee next week and begin a meaningful, mutually beneficial relationship.
We returned to the center and downloaded the images to my computer. I sat down with each student and we critiqued their images while I offered suggestions for improvement. I had to cancel the afternoon session, as it was almost 3 PM by then, and I had no energy (or permission) to go out shooting again. Thankfully, Sara took everyone outside for jump-roping instead.
Later that afternoon, Andrew took us to meet one of iEARN's board members, Mohamed Fofanah. A 2004 graduate of Harvard Law School, he spends most of his time advocating for children and working on human right's cases. He is one of the few people we've met who have returned to Freetown after studying abroad; most simply never return to Sierra Leone. I intend to interview Mohamed further later in the summer, as his knowledge of Sierra Leone's political and justice system seems limitless.
Sara and I then went to Marianella and relaxed from a rathter stressful day with Joloff rice and Star beer. A great meal - there was no fish, just "chicken and meat" (likely goat or beef). Star is one of the few products I've seen that is actually made in Sierra Leone. Just about everything - from electronics to laundry detergent - is imported from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, China, or Malaysia.
In the evening we went with Moses to our new home, as we will be living with Auntie Jennifer and her family, who we met last Sunday. She is the matron at the army hospital, and with a rank of Colonel, has a very nice residence in the Officer's Quarters at the Army Barracks just outside of Wilberforce. (Moses lives just down the hill). Moses is good friends with her children, Joshua, 20, and Olynka,19 - we went to the beach with Joshua last Sunday and Olynka made us fried plantains.
Joshua took me down to the below to the barracks to meet some of his friends and his girlfriend Patricia, but a storm was coming and before long we were dashing back up the hill to his house, where Sara and I sat on the porch with Auntie Jennifer, Joshua, Moses, their friend Francis, and Olynka while watching the rain gush down and the lightning light up Freetown below us. We told stories and talked about popular music and their favorite entertainment stars - Akon, 50 cent, R Kelly, P Diddy, and Shakira along with local favorite K-man. Auntie Jennifer had to go to bed, as she is attending a burial on Sunday near Kenema, a 250+ mile drive that will take all of tomorrow.
Soon after, Sara and I, exhausted as usual, asked our still wide-wake hosts if we could go to bed. Thankfully, they obliged and I soon fell asleep in Joshua's bedroom to the sounds of Freetown's gospel radio station.
We woke up to thunder and rain, and I knew instantly that my class schedule for the day went from highly impractical to completely hopeless. I ventured over to the internet cafe and made several contacts - the manager of the petrol station, a man who coordinates a sports ministry for several churches, and a Chinese official who is here for two years implementing agricultural technology improvements upcountry. I walked by hundreds of photographs pleading to be taken, but as soon as I take out my camera, people stare and point, say "snap me," or tell me to put it away. It's impossible.
After eating our typical breakfast of bread and mangos, we pack our bags and prepare to leave the National Stadium Hostel. It's not bad, with running water and a bathroom in the room, but at 51,000 Le a night, it's a tad expensive. Perhaps more importantly, we need a change of scenery, as we are there nearly 24 hours a day, either in our room or at IEARN, and are the only Westerners in the entire National Stadium Hostel - it's rather lonely.
Around noon, an hour and a half after my first class was to have started, a few of my students finally arrive and I'm just about ready to take them out on our first photography trip. However, Andrew arrives and says that I should probably have a letter to explain what we are doing when we're questioned, so he sends a student to fetch fuel for the generator, which takes another thirty minutes and then writes the letter. As a result, the morning photography session doesn't start until 1:15, almost three hours late.
I distributed digital point and shoot cameras to six students - the four from the morning session (they all showed up!) and two who were there early from the 2pm afternoon session. I give Abu my Nikon DSLR, because as much as I would like to use it, Abu will be able pictures that I'd never be able to even consider.
After a quick review of the essentials and an analysis of a picture I found in "The Photography Book" by Phaidon, we walked down to Kroo Bay, which is an area just a few blocks from the Stadium. Kroo Bay is a typical Freetown neighborhood, with abject poverty just a few feet from the main road, which itself appears to be fairly prosperous. I've posted a few pictures below:
I was pleasantly surprised by the pictures, especially because we have yet to discuss any of the more technical or creative aspects of creating an image.
Unfortunately, a certain Saidu of the Kroo Bay Development Committee intervened in the session. Apparently I should have talked to the chief of the area beforehand, informing him of the details of the project. He was quite concerned that our photographs would showcase an overly negative image of Kroo Bay. While at first I was worried this would be most problematic, Saidu was not against the project, he just wants us to do interviews and talk to the community leaders to ensure that we have more than just images of poor people. Kroo Bay has actually improved dramatically in the last few years, as it used be an incredibly dangerous area, but is now quite safe - I never felt threatened. Hopefully, I'll be able to meet with the Development Committee next week and begin a meaningful, mutually beneficial relationship.
We returned to the center and downloaded the images to my computer. I sat down with each student and we critiqued their images while I offered suggestions for improvement. I had to cancel the afternoon session, as it was almost 3 PM by then, and I had no energy (or permission) to go out shooting again. Thankfully, Sara took everyone outside for jump-roping instead.
Later that afternoon, Andrew took us to meet one of iEARN's board members, Mohamed Fofanah. A 2004 graduate of Harvard Law School, he spends most of his time advocating for children and working on human right's cases. He is one of the few people we've met who have returned to Freetown after studying abroad; most simply never return to Sierra Leone. I intend to interview Mohamed further later in the summer, as his knowledge of Sierra Leone's political and justice system seems limitless.
Sara and I then went to Marianella and relaxed from a rathter stressful day with Joloff rice and Star beer. A great meal - there was no fish, just "chicken and meat" (likely goat or beef). Star is one of the few products I've seen that is actually made in Sierra Leone. Just about everything - from electronics to laundry detergent - is imported from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, China, or Malaysia.
In the evening we went with Moses to our new home, as we will be living with Auntie Jennifer and her family, who we met last Sunday. She is the matron at the army hospital, and with a rank of Colonel, has a very nice residence in the Officer's Quarters at the Army Barracks just outside of Wilberforce. (Moses lives just down the hill). Moses is good friends with her children, Joshua, 20, and Olynka,19 - we went to the beach with Joshua last Sunday and Olynka made us fried plantains.
Joshua took me down to the below to the barracks to meet some of his friends and his girlfriend Patricia, but a storm was coming and before long we were dashing back up the hill to his house, where Sara and I sat on the porch with Auntie Jennifer, Joshua, Moses, their friend Francis, and Olynka while watching the rain gush down and the lightning light up Freetown below us. We told stories and talked about popular music and their favorite entertainment stars - Akon, 50 cent, R Kelly, P Diddy, and Shakira along with local favorite K-man. Auntie Jennifer had to go to bed, as she is attending a burial on Sunday near Kenema, a 250+ mile drive that will take all of tomorrow.
Soon after, Sara and I, exhausted as usual, asked our still wide-wake hosts if we could go to bed. Thankfully, they obliged and I soon fell asleep in Joshua's bedroom to the sounds of Freetown's gospel radio station.
posted by Paul at
12:41 PM
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