Ebola. Diamonds. Civil War. Poverty.

The 4 words that first came to my mind as I learnt that my job would be taking me to Sierra Leone in West Africa. Sierra Leone remains among the world’s poorest countries in the world ranking 179 out of 187 countries in the Human Development Index. Poverty remains widespread with more than 60% of the population living on less than US $1.25 a day, according to UNDP. Unemployment among youth stands at a staggering 70% and illiteracy levels remain high.

This small former British colony has been through several periods of turmoil. The 11-year bloody civil war fueled by ‘blood diamonds’ ended in 2002. The country was recovering gradually, averaging around 7% GDP growth annually for the past decade until the Ebola epidemic hit. Over 4,000 lives were lost, the country’s health systems were disrupted, and GDP shrank to 2% annually.

Given this context, I was quite unsure of what to expect while relocating to Sierra Leone. My uncertainty was amplified by the fact that I would be living in Kono district, which was 5 hours away from the capital, Freetown. Kono is Sierra Leone’s very own diamond district and one of the world’s largest uncut diamonds was recently discovered here. Despite the rich mineral deposits, the district fares quite poorly on most development indicators.

When I first reached Koidu city in Kono, things were as anticipated. Basic infrastructure like running water and electricity were scarce. Basic health facilities were lacking. Corruption and bribery were rampant. But that is not what surprised me the most.  What blew me away was the warmth with which outsiders like me were welcomed into the society and how effortless the integration seemed. Not only does the culture openly embrace outsiders but also emphasizes celebration and living life in the moment. From a philosophical and moral standpoint, it was fascinating to observe how despite lack of material wealth and comforts, people had found a way to remain happy, optimistic and hopeful.

Through this blog, my aim is to record my experiences as I continue travelling, living and working here and draw insights on a range of policy issues like aid dependence, resource curse, colonialism and institutions, cycle of economic under-development, white-man saviour complex, migration and corruption.  I hope to base my insights on secondary research and complement them with first-hand testimonies, interviews, and everyday observations. Wherever applicable, I’d also like to compare and contrast the African growth experience with other relevant case studies.

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