In September 2015 thousands of people took refuge in the national stadium as they literally lost their homes and everything they had in the world. This brought housing on to the agenda with this catastrophe and the need for 280,000 homes in Freetown alone (per EU 2014 report).
We understand the govt has put aside 200 acres of land, funnily enough just 2 miles from our land. We went to visit and found 100 tin body homes had been erected. Each just corrugated iron and sticks they were about 3 metres wide. All this contained over 700 people. Next to it the Chinese were building 3 bed high standard houses and many of the people thought they would be for them. I suspect they will be disappointed. Martha told how she lost everything and was desperate. Building a few shacks in the middle of nowhere with no jobs or facilities seems a sticking plaster and what happened to the thousands of others made homeless by the floods?
For months we have tried to engage the government with our plan. Those we meet say its great but will not help financially. DFIDtell us the money is all with the SL government and cant help! Here is a joint national and British initiative and those with the power to release funds do not have this desperate need as a priority. Having seen vast sums spent on reports that are never implemented and consultants not accountable for advice you have to ask how much of the huge 0.07% of UK GDP goes anywhere near the people it is set aside to help. It’s surely time for change.