Orphaned but not forgotten

Sunday, August 20, 2017

The twin-disaster disfigured many corpses before they could be exhumed. Hundreds of people—including Esther have not set eyes on corpses of their loved ones who were caught up in the twin disaster of August 14 2017. At the onset of the disaster, 139 unidentified bodies were buried, followed by a mass burial of more than 300 people. Over a thousand people are reportedly displaced as a result of the flood and landslide.

The burials did not give the communities closure as dead bodies started to appear in drainages, streams and beaches. As of August 19, 2017, over 400 corpses were found. There are serious health hazards associated with decaying bodies, and this is creating panic. Flooding and landslide of this magnitude impairs sanitation facilities, increasing risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera.

Esther’s community, Kamayama, is a disaster-prone area in a deep valley in the West end of Freetown. But life for her was normal, until the ugly happened. She now has to cope with the painful reality of not being with her parents, being in a strange environment. Being a displaced person can be disturbing especially for children. It rips them off their rights to play and leisure, as they are limited as to where they should and should not go. Child friendly spaces are very key to a child’s development and growth. Additionally, psychological torture is eminent especially where children have lost parents. Child abuses are also foreseen—and all of this has drawn World Vision’s attention.

World Vision has been responding to the emergency in the Child Protection, Health and Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Health Pillars with Non-food items including water purification powder by P&G, mattresses, blankets, veronica buckets, cups, spoons, chamber, tooth paste, school bags and tooth brush. 

As of August 23, 2017, World Vision has distributed non-food items to 504 households and have benefitted 3528 beneficiaries in Kamayama Extension, Kamayama Pentagon, Juba, Wilberforce and Gbangbayilla communities in Freetown. Distribution of NFIs is still ongoing, while next steps are being considered, moving forward.

Community members including children found the mattresses and school materials provided by World Vision a great boost. Esther is happy with the items she received from World Vision. ‘’I did not only lose my parents, but I also lost everything—my clothes, books, uniforms. Our house was washed away by the water. Since we survived the flood, we have been sleeping in an open place on the bare floor. The mattress and school items make me feel happy,’’ she says.

World Vision is an integral part of the Child Protection and Psycho-social, Health and burial, Water Sanitation and Hygiene pillars of the response, working in partnership with the government of Sierra Leone and other like-minded International Non-governmental organisations (INGOs).

These orphans, although they have lost parents, are not forgotten.The survivors of the twin disaster will continue to receive World Vision’s love, care and attention.