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Finally the day arrived and a huge container carrying more than $850, 000.00 worth of medical equipment and supplies was fully loaded, and ready to start its long awaited transatlantic journey to Sierra Leone. The day was July10, 2010. Certainly this day will linger in the minds of Sierra Leoneans in Winnipeg for a number of very good reasons: Under the leadership of SALNAM, the community has moved with lightening speed to establish its credentials as a serious partner in a meaningful way, to assist our people address their medical and health needs by providing medical equipment and supplies. Equally memorable, is the display of genuine commitment to, and the love Sierra Leoneans have for the motherland. When I arrived at the warehouse to help with the loading of the container, at first, I got the impression; the entire community was present to offer a helping hand. Indeed there were lots of helpers, each person playing his/her role to load a humongous volume of equipment in different sizes and shapes. Those who did not show up at the warehouse definitely missed the carnival atmosphere which was interspersed with serious manual labour that took the better part of the day.
Loading the container started about early morning and ended about 2:45 Pm. At times it was difficult to discern whether people had come to the Warehouse to work or to find an excuse to warm up for Moses Shyllon’s social function planned for the evening where, in a competition, those in attendance were required to sing their secondary school songs dressed in their school uniforms. Almost by default, people started practicing songs many have not sung for ten or more years. Even Moses Shyllon, the organizer, had difficulty remembering the words of the song of his Alma Mater, the Albert Academy. At one point, Amara Gassama complained about his difficulty to sing. However, after listening to Elizabeth Johnson and Aminata Marrah practicing, Gassama discovered his voice and started singing; a typical display of the domino effect. James Koroma, who was initially disinterested in Shyllon’s project, was heard singing in the background. People were able to work and chew gum at the same time: dancing, singing and working hard following a very productive lunch break. There was plenty of food, a variety of food including the mother of all Sierra Leonean dishes------Cassava leaves, the most sought after dish. It went so fast that even Fredo Kamara complained that he wanted more. Remember Oliver Twist? John Saccoh’s side kick, Sorie, also entertained the crowd with his quick steps. He dances very well. But why not? After all he has witnessed many Sierra Leonean social functions. Not to be outdone by Sorrie, Ahmad Bangura, the guy who dances only on special occasions, soon found himself on the dance floor, perhaps competing with no other person than our dear uncle Fredo, the most trusted person for volunteering. I wonder there is any one left in the community whose picture is not in his album. Keep it up Uncle, for you are a great asset to the community. By the way, when are you coming to take a picture of my family? Oh what a great man. Our president, Allieu Sesay, who had been on the phone for several hours to make sure the container arrived on the designated day, acted very presidential. Or was he tired? Like some who transformed work into play, he did not sing or danced. He was heavily consumed by what was going on to make sure the work was done properly and finished on time. Mussolini comes to mind. Others, who also contributed tremendously on that day, included the family team of Sheriff Kamara. In fact Sheriff’s team has been the bulwark for initiating this project and for its success as well. I say a big thank you for the support of the community, SALNAM’s inclusive leadership, and the very fine people at Hope International Canada for making this happen. We have finished our work from this end, and hopefully our president will be present when the shipment arrives in Freetown in the near distant future. When you think about success, think about SALNAM. Please remember one thing: A Warehouse is not a dancing hall. But again, we are talking about Sierra Leoneans who can work and chew gum at the same time. |
