At home for 21 days
Keeping children in the same place for one day can be a challenge – so imagine how hard it is for families who aren’t able to leave their homes for three weeks.
For many across Sierra Leone though, this is the reality of life in a country suffering from the impact of the Ebola crisis.
In the West African country children can normally be found playing, stoning mangoes and attending Mosque on Fridays or Church on Sundays. Women and young girls enjoy meeting with their friends to share stories and news, while men spend time on their farms or chat with friends over a glass of palm wine.
But Ebola is creating barriers, which often prevent life continuing as normal.
But Ebola is creating barriers, which prevent life continuing as normal.
11-year-old Hindowa lives in the Pujehun District, in southern Sierra Leone. He’s recently experienced the Ebola quarantine process, which kept him and his family at home for 21 days.
Hindowa’s father’s best friend, who was a regular visitor to their home, died from Ebola. He had been to their house five days before he tested positive, meaning Hindowa’s family were identified as people who could have been infected.
Hindowa’s father Andrew, who is a teacher at a local secondary school, said:
‘When my friend contracted the disease, I was the first to be traced. I was shocked and scared when I learned from the quarantine team that our friend had contracted the disease. We were quarantined right from that point without prior notice. I hadn’t stored up anything at home in readiness for those 21 days. But I understood the severe nature of the disease and was not annoyed. My entire family was under serious tension. My wife and children were all crying. I started asking members of my family one after the other, if at all they had body contact with the deceased.’
Hindowa now knows a lot about Ebola.
He said:
'World Vision has been teaching our community to protect ourselves from Ebola and we listen to the radio teachings on Ebola. Even before the death of our family friend, I had developed the habit not to touch people. I believe that is one thing that saved us from contracting the disease.'
"Even before the death of our family friend, I had developed the habit not to touch people. I believe that is one thing that saved us from contracting the disease."
Hindowa is a pupil at a local primary school and is a registered child with World Vision. He was due to move to a Junior Secondary school but, with schools closed because of Ebola, this has not been possible yet.
‘Ebola had done a lot of bad things to us before the quarantine process. Schools had been closed for some time now. I don’t touch or play with my friends anymore,’ he said.
Hindowa described what it was like to be unable to leave his home for so long:
'World Vision gave us food like rice, cooking oil, salt, seasoning and fish, as well as buckets, chlorine, Dettol, soap and towel. The quarantine team also gave us some food. For the 21 days we were at home, we lacked nothing, but our freedom was seized. We had to obtain permission for every move from our veranda to the back house. This was strange.’
When somebody dies of Ebola, everyone who has had possible contact with the patient is quarantined for a period of 21 days. This is the amount of time within which it’s thought people will show any signs of having the virus.
"Being at home for 21 days was not easy for my entire family, but it was necessary. I have heard about the way this Ebola wipes off an entire family."
‘Being at home for 21 days was not easy for my entire family, but it was necessary. I have heard about the way this Ebola wipes off an entire family. To me, it was for our own good, though it stopped me from playing around my house or move around the town,’ Hindowa says.
World Vision is working in communities to help educate people about the best way to protect themselves from catching Ebola. We’re also supporting funeral teams to provide safe and dignified burials for victims of the virus. You can find out more and support our work here.