Saint Louis, Senegal is a fantastic historical city on the west coast of Africa, located five hours north of Dakar at the mouth of the Senegal River near the Mauritanian border. The town consists of three parts: the mainland and two barrier islands. On this photo and map you can […]
Beautiful Senegal, home of friendly people and enduring culture. I visited two places in Dakar in November 2024 in addition to walking around the central city. These photos take you there as follows. 1. Dakar city downtown – Starting at a roundabout near the port and train station, then walking […]
Here we travel to the town of Kombayendeh in far eastern Sierra Leone, then by motorcycle with a friend to the Kissi village of Tormandu, then to his family farm. Both Kombayendeh and Tormandu are in Lei Chiefdom which lies along the Guinean border. The Kissi are an ethnic group […]
Take a walk around Kenema. The Eastern town has been fixed up and is looking really nice. Click on a picture for a slideshow. Hanga Rd. – coming in from the airfield. The tall building on the right is the former Capitol Cinema. G Choithram’s Supermarket – looking back […]
I took these photos at Funkia and Tokeh beaches – two beautiful beaches on the western side of Freetown. – in September 2023 near the end of the rainy season The first four pictures are from a guest house located near Lumley Intersection. Pictures of Funkia Beach are up to […]
I took these pictures in 2008 on a trip to Nairobi, the great capital city of Kenya. I was struck by the large number of beautiful high-rise buildings in the Mid Century style that dominated downtown then. The Mid-Century style is characterized by repeating rectangular facades and muted pastel colors, […]
Sierra Leone had a railway from 1897 to 1974, and there are still old railway buildings, signs, and bridges around the country. Portions of the old rail line still connect towns in the countryside, and a good day trip on a motorcycle or bicycle is to take the old rail […]
When you leave Freetown and travel to the countryside you can see the real beauty of Sierra Leone. I took these photos between 2006 and 2013 while I was working in Kono District and traveling around the country. They were taken during both the rainy and dry seasons, so some […]
We interviewed “Joe” for our book in 2012 – some years ago, but it’s good to remember how the war affected people’s lives. Joe was around 13 years old in 1993 when he was captured by the RUF rebels. He was trained at Peyama Camp, near Tongo Field in Kenema […]
Koidu after the war Starting with a common question – Did the mismanagement and corruption of the Siaka Stevens government cause the war? Yes, in a way, but it’s actually more complicated. Siaka Stevens (and later Momoh) ruled the country from 1967 to 1992 with a corrupt one-party state. […]
We travel to find the site of the notorious and elusive rebel camp called “Zogoda”. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE) BACKGROUND ON ZOGODA: The Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels first attacked Sierra Leone from Liberia in March 1991. Supported by Muammar Qaddafi of Libya and Charles Taylor of Liberia, the rebels […]
Bomaru was the first town the rebels attacked when the war began in March 1991. In this narrative, the Town Chief of Bomaru, Chief Kallon, describes life under the RUF (Revolutionary United Front) rebels and the effects the war had on the townspeople. This narrative is the second in a […]
In November 2018 I went with some friends to Banana Island, a little-visited island paradise located 25 miles from Freetown. Banana Island has both natural and historic attractions with friendly local people who are happy to show you around. BELOW: A beach on Banana Island early in the morning. (CLICK […]
Sierra Leone War Stories 1: Kabala to Freetown Co-author (of Sierra Leone: Inside the War) Bernard Moigula and I collected many stories about the war, traveling to every part of the country to find people who had experienced or taken part in major events of the war. We weren’t able […]
Recent studies have revealed alarming rates of Hepatitis B infection among adults in Sierra Leone, with upwards of 18 to 20 percent testing positive. The following paper describes a recent study carried out at a mining camp in Moyamba District. The paper includes background on Hepatitis B, […]
The original Cape Sierra Hotel was built in the late 60s and opened around 1970. Located at the north end of Lumley Beach, the hotel was very popular with visitors and with local people who had enough money to go there. With a bar, a basement nightclub, and a pool […]
Sierra Leone Maps: Sierra Leone: Inside the War includes nine maps that show areas of fighting and movements of fighters. Most of the towns and villages mentioned in the text are included on the maps. Click on the map to enlarge and save (right click, “save image as”). Map 1: […]