#Sierra-Leone

[peonycats]

it's time for (west) afriiicaaaaaaa

BONUS:

central africa congos cameos (triple c threat if you will)

[folkfashion]

Sherbro woman, Sierra Leone, by Xavi de las Heras

[profeminist]

"The signing ceremony, held in Freetown, was hosted by First Lady Fatima Bio and marks a significant milestone in the country's efforts to protect children's rights. The new law makes it illegal to marry anyone under the age of 18.

Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio has signed into law a bill prohibiting child marriage, imposing harsh penalties on offenders.

Going forward, anyone who contravenes the law by marrying out his daughter or taking a bride before attaining the age of 18 is liable to a jail term of 15 years or a fine of about $4000 dollars or both.

The law defines defaulters as parent(s) of an underage bride, the groom and anyone who supports or witnesses the wedding.

Read the full piece here: https://saharareporters.com/2024/07/03/sierra-leone-bans-child-marriage-imposes-15-year-prison-sentence-violators-including

[blujayarchives]

[mapsontheweb]

Map of Africa on a tortoise shell in the National Museum of Sierra Leone

[odinsblog]

[continentcreative]

Fanta Bereteh photographed by Emmie America / Styled by Lauren Abbondola / Hair by Nastya Miliaeva / Makeup Shaina Ehrlich

[omgthatdress]

[womenaremypriority]

I absolutely hate the use of the word ‘sex worker’ in this instance but it’s still an important read.

[sizzlingsandwichperfection-blog]

You may wonder what this whole Awesome Coffee Club thing is all about. Today I was reminded what it’s all about:

In 2019, the unpaid intern who runs this tumblr account visited Sierra Leone’s Kono District. Kono is the among the most impoverished communities in the world due to a long history of enslavement, colonialism, and civil war. A decade ago, Kono’s healthcare system was in a state of collapse--clinics had no running water or electricity or paid staff, and inconsistent supplies of medications and other necessities.

As a result, Kono was the epicenter of the global maternal mortality crisis: One out of every seventeen women could expect to die in childbirth. Over 10% of children died before the age of five. 

Beginning in 2014, Partners in Health began working with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health to bring change. This started with the basics at the region’s hospital, Koidu Government Hospital: running water, 24-hour electricity, and hiring nurses, community healthworkers, cooks, facilities management staff, and so much more. 

At the time, KGH’s maternity ward had a dirt floor. Many people were dying for want of an emergency C-section or a blood transfusion. By 2019, this was getting better--two functioning operating rooms were able to perform C-sections, and a blood bank could address postpartum hemorrhaging. But it was still inadequate, and maternal and child mortality were horrifyingly routine.

To address the crisis, PIH Sierra Leone directors Jon Lascher and Dr. Baillor Barrie wanted to build a world-class maternal and child health center that could save thousands of lives yearly while also serving as a teaching hospital to train the next generation of Sierra Leonean healthcare workers. They told us they needed $25,000,000 to break ground, and would probably eventually need another $25,000,000 to support the hospital’s operation over its first few years.

I am, as unpaid interns go, doing quite well, but not THAT well. So our family committed what we could and asked others to join us, and within two years, we passed that $25,000,000 goal. Together, we’ve now raised close to $40,000,000. 

Today, I visited the site of the Maternal Center of Excellence, the first wards of which will hopefully open next year. Nearly all of the construction team are from Kono, and 65% of them are women--they work as welders, engineers, planners, laborers, and so much more. You see three of them above. I had the privilege of talking with them about this project. The young woman to the right, Success, told me that her dream is to work for the hospital her whole life, helping to maintain and support it. One of the other women told me, “We are passionate about this work because it is the future of our country. And we know that we and our friends will someday give birth here.” I am so proud that our projects support their training and livelihood, and so grateful to have them as colleagues in this work.

The hospital--which will include over 100 maternal beds, a NICU, and enough operating suites to perform over 10 emergency C-sections per day, will also require ongoing funding for staff, stuff, systems, maintenance, and more. Our hope is that open-ended projects like the Awesome Coffee Club and Awesome Socks Club can help provide that funding, although the most efficient way to support this project is to donate directly! 

So that’s why this tumblr, and the awesome coffee club, exists. World-class maternal and infant healthcare is coming to Kono, a wonderful and  too long impoverished by colonialism and extractive capitalism. It is only a first step. There is so long to go. But what a first step.

[kemetic-dreams]

[makingqueerhistory]

A Sierra Leonian queer rights activist, FannyAnn Viola was faced with an uphill battle to win respect and support for the community she publicly admitted to being a part of. Her legacy has largely been defined by her indisputable bravery and her choice to become outspoken when silence was an option.

Support Making Queer History on Patreon

Send in a One-Time Donation

[blueiscoool]

Kentucky Derby 2024 (Full Race)

Mystik Dan Wins in a Dramatic Photo Finish at 150th Kentucky Derby

Mystik Dan has won the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby in a dramatic photo finish at Churchill Downs on Saturday in Louisville.

Photo finishes are rare at the Derby

Entering the race at 18-1 odds, Mystik Dan edged out Sierra Leone and Forever Young in a dramatic three-horse photo finish to capture the first leg of the Triple Crown. Sierra Leone finished in second place, while Forever Young finished in third place.

It was the 10th time in the race’s history a horse has won by a nose and the first since Grindstone in 1996, according to the NBC broadcast.

“This is unbelievable. That was longest few minutes I’ve ever felt in my life waiting for them to hang that number above us,” said jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. after the race.

“It was exciting when we hit the wire but I wasn’t sure if we won so it was quite a rush to sit here and wait for it.”

The victory is the first for Hernandez Jr. and trainer Kenny McPeek at the Kentucky Derby.

By Homero De la Fuente and Ben Church.

[queerafricans]

“does passing feel good?” - @whoisuzo on tiktok

[dozydawn]

“Young sleeping albino girl on the back of her sister.”

Sierra Leone, Africa.

Photographed by Feije Riemersma, 2009.

[classycookiexo]

THIS