War correspondent Anthony Loyd discusses child slavery and prostitution in Sierra Leone, sharing stories of survivors. The podcast also explores the recent coup attempt and the work of Street Child in supporting young people in the country.
Survival skills and a chance encounter with strangers helped a young trafficked girl escape a life of prostitution and rebuild her life.
Street Child and similar organizations are addressing the issue of child poverty and lack of education in Sierra Leone, offering hope for a better future.
Deep dives
Coup attempt in Sierra Leone
In early November, a small group of renegade soldiers launched a coup attempt in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown. Despite limited initial resistance, the assailants managed to break into an armory, seize weapons, and carry out a jailbreak, resulting in over 1,800 prisoners escaping. The incident highlights the fragile state of the country, with political tensions and economic vulnerabilities contributing to the instability.
Alima Bangura's story of survival
Alima Bangura, a now 28-year-old woman, shared her incredible story of resilience and survival. Deprived of a childhood, Alima was trafficked at a young age and became a domestic servant in Guinea. Following various traumatic experiences, including rape, she ended up as an underage commercial sex worker in Sierra Leone. Fortunately, she was eventually discovered by Street Child, a charity offering support to young women in such situations. Through their assistance and rehabilitation programs, Alima was able to rebuild her life. Today, she owns a successful hairdressing salon, employs former sex workers, and has a stable family life.
Challenges of poverty and child labor in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone continues to face economic challenges, and poverty remains a significant issue, particularly affecting children. Many children in Sierra Leone either never attend school or drop out at a young age due to economic pressures. Over 50% of children who attend primary school do not continue to secondary education, leading them to engage in child labor activities. Organizations like Street Child are working diligently to address these challenges, providing education, support, and hope for a better future for disadvantaged children.
Two weeks after yet another attempted coup, veteran Times war correspondent Anthony Loyd returns to Sierra Leone, the West African country he first visited 26 years ago amid civil war.
There he encounters a young woman from the streets, who would have long been dead by now, were it not for her survival skills and the conversation she shared with the occupants of a car one night 15 years ago.
Guest: Anthony Loyd, special correspondent, The Times.
Host: Luke Jones.
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