Report and Photography by James B. Mansaray
Freetown, Sierra Leone.
A few weeks back I was again on the road with my Nikon D40 to be present with the Teachers and Students as the year draws to a close for the NHA School.
As usual as I make my way from Freetown to Kabala, I drop off medical supplies to the villagers and fill up hungry bellies.
Last week on the blog I asked you to involve more people in helping us to raise funds for the much needed Compound for NHA as we make the move to Kabala. I hope that you are telling everyone about the work of Nazareth House and about the lives you are changing and making better through NHA.
Some will ask questions why the move to the Wara Wara Hills of Kabala? Why not Freetown and its beautiful beaches? I can only answer them by saying that Kabala needs attention for there are lots of lapses in that area. Educationally, healthcare and in terms of infrastructural growth, Kabala is way behind. Although Freetown, with all its needs, and even though it is far behind other nations' Capital Cities by comparison, it still has more opportunities than Kabala. I love Kabala and I love it with all my heart. It is where I was born, where I grew up.
Kabala has its odds: poverty, disease, hunger - however, of course it has many good things, too. And these good things could increase tremendously if only it is given a helping hand. How can changes be made without a start. Somebody has to do something. NHA has done so much for Kabala and there is so much more we can do. Kabala simply needs a little nudge from you guys by your help through NHA.
One morning as I travel on to Kabala from Freetown, a stop at SS curve, commonly known as the KABALA curve, I am welcomed by the beauty
that surrounds this peaceful and loving town.
Such incredible beauty.
The government assiduously is playing its part for Kabala but it still cries for large NGO's with huge proposals yet still children play in the streets naked
and hungry.
NHA, small as we are, continues
to put smiles on hundreds of parent's and student's faces
as our NHA School's enrollment grows and grows.
NHA Students enjoy "closing of School for Summer" Party.
My camera sees all of this and will not stop me from showing it to you in my own little way. Look at life for children in the area.
A young boy at Makakura village does nothing for his living but carries a big black wooden box on his head, a trap to track down rats and ground pigs.
He is so graceful and doing this with a big smile. You see nothing like this in Freetown…
These boys needed education but there is no way out. Not without our help. Kabala needs a jumpstart and NHA has wasted no time getting things started in Kabala. NHA began with the school but there is food and farming that needs to be increased, there are medical needs, there is so much more to be done.
When I was a boy, we knew nothing but fun in this town, rolling our butts on hills, or climbing palm nuts trees barefooted, with naked hands to make a day’s meal.
Though those days were "the good ole days for us" there has been no change, no real improvement for I still see this happening .
In those days we were called "missionary kids" as we were surrounded with a host of Missionaries, but today, that's all faded away with more needs and precious few answers. Those days we were talking about pure tap and sterilized water, dusty but well fixed roads, good farms etc. They are still dreaming of these same things today, hoping that somehow, someway they will become a reality.
Can we really sit back and let the Wara Wara hills of Kabala fade and die?
I know I cannot allow this to happen and I don't believe you will allow it, either. There is so much potential here, so much opportunity to make a change for the better, to improve so many lives. We only need your helping hand.
Please give today for Nazareth House Apostolate. Be a part of change, real change, real love. Join the Nazareth House Family where we are not about hand-outs but all about relationship, growing together, helping each other to be the best they can be.
My heart belongs to all of you. Thank you and please continue the great work and spread the word.
James Bombolia Mansaray
