SALT for Ebola Competence in Sierra Leone

[Marlou]

On behalf of Joseph Vandi I am sharing this story he sent me by email. Grateful to Joseph and other SALT facilitators in Ebola affected countries!

Marlou

Sesay Vandi a decendant of Gbarley village who was living in Waterloo, a settlement 20 miles off Freetown, lost his wife and two of his four children to Ebola. Few weeks later, he
also died to the same dreadful disease.
Early last week, a sister to the diseased who is living in another village some 20 miles away from Gbarleh, went to Waterloo and took the remaining two children of the diseased to Gbarleh. She arrived in Gbarleh at about 8: 0 Clock PM.

Upon arrival, the community denied them stay.
Instead, the community dialed117 which is the Ebola emergency line in S/L. The sister was taken back to her own community by the Ebola team where she was quarantined.The
brother to whom the children were taken  has also been quarantined together with his family by the community people and the Ebola team.
Before the SALT intervention in Gbarleh, the community was attributing the death of their loved ones to some other causes like witchcraft .
Today, they are aware that they have an enemy in their midst which they can get rid of with collective efforts. Presently the community is monitoring their own brother who is quarantined in the village. SALT approach can always make a difference.

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Great, uplifting messages!

[Marlou]

Continued news from Joseph in my email: 

.... As for Gbarleh, my father land, the community I told you about the
last time, they are now applying the Competence Approach to different
areas of their lives. They use it in the area of health and sanitation
and even infrastructure. . As I write you this mail, a community hut
is now located in their community to receive strangers who call on
them in their village. Just before the spread of the Ebola epidemic,
the one they had collapsed. They found it almost impossible to rebuild
it during the Ebola nightmare, but as a result of the Competence
Approach, they have erected one.

I feel proud about it.

I wish to do more but I am limited......

[Onesmus Mutuku]

Survivors inclusion, and particularly in the facilitation teams development will go a long way in fostering hope where its dying because of fear and anxiety. On the other hand, SALT embedded in the so called 'Ebola Teams' will bring a paradigm shift in facilitation approach and attitude towards engaging with communities. Experts mentality won't fix it:-) 

[Marlou]

A good news message as a follow-up this weekend:

Pleased to inform you that those quarantined in Gbarleh are sixteen days old today in that condition. They have about five days more to go.

Good to hear that they are all doing fine as I send you this mail.
I prefer to be sending you an up- date of the prevailing circumstances around their situation.

 

Best wishes,

Joseph.