Our visit is taking Shape

Last minute preparations are going ahead for our visit to Freetown on 13th March. Transport to Heathrow - booked. Visas are still to be obtained. Hotel in Kissy booked for 7 nights as we are not staying the first night near the airport as last time. Harmony Hotel is full until the end of April.  They deserve their success. It was a great place to stay. So we look forward to the Hotel 5/10 as a base for the week.

Hotel 5/10 with its statue of two children, the hope for the future. This three Star Hotel is so named in recognition of the widely celebrated World Teachers Day (5 October) and is owned by the Sierra Leone Teachers Union.

We are continuing the training with last year's healthcare team and we were expecting some problems.  The latest report tells us that putting what was learned into practice has been a serious challenge. Not everyone has been co-operating, we are told, because there was no financial motivation and some had other personal engagements.     In the main they had a mind-set that personal gain should follow their efforts.  However financial rewards for the trainers was never our aim. Better health for the community was the goal. With better health comes a better chance to work and earn money, so there is a potential financial reward for everyone at the end.    Those who have sought to take the teaching forward will form the core group with some new people coming in.

  The school will be meeting when we are there and therefore the training has been moved to Faith Baptist Church in Wellington.  I hope there will be enough rooms for small group work, which can get noisy!

Faith Baptist Church in Wellington. It has the main hall and an office that can be used. Some groups may also be able to sit outside in the shade.