How does international aid function in Sierra Leone today?
G.S.: Many of the NGOs that are involved in rebuilding the country are bypassing the government channels and they’re taking whatever it is—be it nails, corrugated roofing or cement—direct to the people to see that it really gets where it’s destined. J.A.: This is one of the reasons why the nonprofit that I helped found, Sierra Leone Village Partnerships (SLVP.org) works at a grassroots level—to bypass government and to go directly to communities. We don’t feel comfortable dealing with the Sierra Leonean government. We don’t quite trust it, so we’d rather work with community leaders and local chiefs where we know that when we send materials, they’re less likely to be sucked away someplace. AFROPOP: One big question we now have for you is: Where exactly is Sierra Leone today? G.S.: All over the world. [laughs] Sierra Leoneans are everywhere. The abandonment of Sierra Leone happened long before the war. People in economic distress try to get out of that and go to a better place. Sierra Le
