Small and peaceful...

It started innocently enough… Michael, a young gentleman who worked diligently for my landlord and kept the courtyard and environs incredibly neat, told me about his dream to go back to secondary school to finish his education. He’d dropped out of school when he was twelve to support his mother and siblings. He speaks little English and can barely read… let alone write, in any language. But, he’s bright, quick with a smile and always very friendly and accommodating.

Michael’s situation is a very common phenomenon here and according to a recent UNICEF and Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport report titled, “The Out-of-School Report” up to 40% of primary school-aged children do not attend school, despite the government’s commitment or lack thereof to the International Convention on the Rights of the Child. In Sierra Leone, “Article 28 of that Convention (Right to education): All children have the right to a primary education, which should be free,” is a complete misnomer. It’s one thing to have the right to free education but it’s another to see it in action or make it happen.

The Report forcefully illustrates the point that poverty is the major reason for children being out of school… among the many other reasons including early marriage, child-pregnancies, bullying and harassment from peers and teachers, disabilities, sexual abuse, peer pressure, cultural tradition, and so on. So, the streets in Freetown are often flooded with young children selling bags of water (straight from an untreated water supply), household goods including soaps and medications, charcoal, etc. And, their futures are reflected in the faces of the young men who hang about street corners trying to eek out a living selling fish heads, discarded tee-shirts or mismatched shoes.

But, a small revolution is at hand and I’m proud to be a supporter…

One day, as I sat in the courtyard reading, Michael approached and sat down beside me. We exchanged pleasantries and he eventually asked me what I was reading. I replied it was a book about the beautiful, bountiful science that surrounds us. (see the reference at the end of this post) He said he was interested in science, biology and chemistry… and asked if I could find him a book on science so he could study and prepare for some sort of secondary school exam.

Initially, I must admit, I was taken aback. One of the things I’m trying to avoid is “helping out” the hundreds of people who’ve asked me for money. It’s another fact of life here in Freetown – people see the colour of my skin and immediately assume I have buckets of money and that I’m freely distributing “western aid” on every corner. So, Michael’s request didn’t surprise me but it was the first indication from him that he’d like my help. And, it wasn’t money he wanted… but a book! To study! To further his education! I couldn’t say “no, next time…” or my new favourite “polite push-off”, “I’ll pray for you.” (when people ask what religion I am I say “I’m an atheist” and they seem happy to hear… little do they know)

I came face-to-face with my conviction to help in a sustainable way and to avoid contributing to the “aid mentality” that’s so prevalent in this country. However, a book… a lasting, sustainable and helpful instrument… that, I could justify.

So, the following day I wandered down Garrison St. near the Victoria Park market, amidst the dozens of street hawkers and managed to find a photocopied version of a biology textbook, written in 1980 – edition four – for Le40,000 or about $12.00. (the initial price quoted was Le150,000) I scooped it up and delivered it to Michael later that night. My gawd, you’d have thought I conjured a rain of coins… He was thrilled. And, for the next several weeks I watched his page-progress through the textbook.

A week or so later, Yousef, one of the young security guys, told me he was very interested in economics and business. I’d noticed Yousef reading over Michael’s shoulder on several occasions and felt his interest was genuine. So, when Yousef asked if I could find him a book on business, I quickly accepted the challenge. Books are a rarity here… and with a 75% illiteracy rate it’s easy to see that the market for books and reading is very small – despite the number of daily newspapers.

However, I managed to track down a very well-used, secondary school workbook on business and economics. And, Yousef was thrilled. He’s since read through that one and he’s now into a math book – probably a grade ten level – that he’s devouring. This second book was a real challenge… I was aided by a primary school teacher and neighbour, MarVel, who took me to a shack outside her school. And, because I was MarVel’s friend, the shop-owner sold me the book for Le20,000 or just about $7.00.

There’s another young man, Moses, an Okada driver who’s frequently shuffled me about on the back of his motorbike and who is very interested in football/soccer. “Moses the motorcycle man” went to school till he was about eight and has been working at a variety of “jobs” since then – almost 12 years. He regularly regales me with football stories as we zip among the traffic of Freetown. (Sometimes I have to tell him to stop waving his left hand about and hold onto the handlebars… but he’s very passionate about football.)

I was given a copy of a new book by a Sierra Leoneon footballer named Mohamed Kallon who plays in the European league and is a legend among young Sierra Leoneons. It was a promo-copy and terribly written… but it was local and just perfect for someone who had very few reading skills. (it’s written at about a grade four reading level) When I handed the book over to Moses – the first and only new book he’s ever owned – he beamed.

I guess the revolution is spreading… and yesterday another neighbourhood child asked me (Uncle Stephen because of my “silver and gold hair” and advanced age) if I could find her a book about science fiction – “space and other worlds”, in her words. She said she was in “form three” which is roughly grade eleven… That’ll be my mission, among others, this week. I think I recall seeing a photocopied version of an Asimov novel among the street hawkers near the market…

It may be a small, peaceful revolution but at least it’s a start… and who knows – maybe one day, one of these readers will evolve into the next Gordimer or Asimov or Einstein or Gates. And, like most revolutions, the initial supporters often don’t get to see the end results… but it’s the seeds of revolution that can spark eventual change.

Today I’m hopeful…
Stephen