A house that is no longer a home…

From 1991 – 2002 a civil war devastated homes and communities in the once abundant and thriving country of Sierra Leone.  During these 11 years more than 1.2 million people were displaced and over 300, 000 homes were destroyed as a result of the conflict.  Now after more than 10 years of rebuilding many villages are still facing a housing crisis.

Rural communities in Sierra Leone saw the greatest destruction to their homes during the war  - these houses were destroyed systematically and with intent by all those involved in the conflict.  As you travel through the countryside the ghosts of these former homes can be seen & the challenge of rebuilding them still remains.

The primary challenge facing many families is lack of money for rebuilding.  Even the most basic homes without electricity or water – made of local materials, like mud bricks & grass roofs – still require equipment and labour, which is often beyond the financial means of most villagers.  This desperate situation has created an environment where homes have become extremely overcrowded – with large families & extended family members all sharing very limited space.  Most houses that are still standing are in various states of depletion.  Pests such as rats, mice & cockroaches are common problems in the home and so are mosquitoes that have the potential to infect sleeping families with malaria, as the windows do not have proper screens etc. The houses contain little ventilation, are very hot and often with leaky roofs and full of mold.
Without the help of friends and relatives, or a charity or foreign aid agency coming to assist – the housing situation for most rural Sierra Leoneans will continue to deteriorate creating health problems and strain on an ever growing population.

Now imagine being able to help provide a family with a house that has solid walls and space big enough for a growing family, a roof that doesn’t leak in the rainy season, and windows that have screens to keep out mosquitoes that carry malaria - the primary cause of death among infants and children in this region.

But let’s even go one step further and imagine a house that could filter and store rain water providing clean safe water all year round, a house that was outfitted with solar electricity so children could study at night, with an indoor bathroom that is sanitary, safe and pest free - imagine a house built to stay cool by day and keep out mosquitoes by night.

Now let’s go beyond just providing the people houses, let’s imagine giving the people of Sierra Leone a HOME…

 

For more info on how you can help please contact www.khadarlis.org