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Sierra Leone: Unisa Turay, Blue Flag Volunteer, 'Helping Other People is Like Helping Myself'
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UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
21 July 2008
Posted to the web 21 July 2008
Kroo Bay
The Kroo Bay area of the Sierra Leone capital Freetown is one of the poorest and most marginalised in the country. During the country's six-month rainy season, flood waters wash refuse and filth into people's houses, meaning waterborne diseases are extremely frequent.
A non-governmental organisation has set up a project where volunteers administer basic first aid and give out life-saving rehydration salts to people suffering from severe diarrhea and cholera. Unisa Turay is one of those volunteers.
"There are 60 of us volunteers here in a community of 6,000 people. We have been trained to recognise and treat diarrhea, cholera, and other basic waterborne diseases, and to educate people in the community about prevention.
"Diarrhea is the main sickness we are called on to treat. When people get it, they can come to us and we give them the [rehydration salts] to cure it.
"Many people don't know or understand why they get sick, and even when they do, diarrhea is so commonplace that they don't take it seriously until they start vomiting and frequently stooling. Then they come to us.
"I wanted to do this because I can't just sit watching people in my community suffering and dying. I see helping other people like helping myself.
"I want to do more in this community - I can't just sit and watch people suffering while this whole area goes down the drain."
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[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]
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