Tragedy in Sierra Leone and Why No One Seems to Give a F*ck

By Caroline Thompson on August 28, 2017

Sierra Leone. You may have heard this name in a song by rapper Kanye West back in 2005. A song about the profit that other countries have made off of diamonds being mined in Sierra Leone. The song touches base on other topics but one thing that is clear and true is Africa has been the source of many resources utilized by other countries for centuries. So when Sierra Leone exhibits a national crisis, where is the rest of the world?

On August 14, 2017, three days after heavy rainfall, a massive landslide in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, created a national emergency. It has become one of Africa’s WORST disasters in recent history.

As the tragedy unfolded, urgent support for Sierra Leone was met with a crippling silence. There has been no celebrity appeals, no large funding campaigns, no aid concerts, nothing — beyond typical appeal from relief agencies.

As a social media user myself, I have seen little to no outpouring of sympathy, no Facebook photo filters or international or national monuments going dark or changing colors to sympathize with the people of Sierra Leone.

With recent tragedies in Europe, and here in the USA profile pictures and “Avi’s” went rainbow, flag colored, or dark to show support to victims and families of tragic events. Hashtags were present, and photos and video were viral.

Where is the outrage and action for the people of Sierra Leone? The death toll has reportedly risen to over 1,000. Twenty thousand are now left homeless, and at least 800 are missing.

According to the United Nations, the country of Sierra Leone may be at risk for a second landslide. Images of town residents can be seen digging mass graves for the people of this country. WHERE IS ALL THE PUBLIC AID? The landslide has also orphaned thousands of children leaving them without their parents or guardians.

USAID, which offers foreign civilian assistance, has offered only $100,000. Letters went to American lawmakers to urgently release $21 million to help those affected and Canada’s Humanitarian Assistance Fund has donated $275,000.

However, why hasn’t much more coverage and request for aid and donations been seen across American media outlets? The November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris and the Pulse nightclub tragedy in Florida were met with national and international outcry and support. Why not the same for our brothers and sisters in Africa?

Why do tragic events that take place in Africa often go overlooked? Do African lives have no value? The very place from which many resources are taken from globally suffers alone in the aftermath of a tragedy. Why does it seem that the world doesn’t give a fuck about Mother Africa?

To donate for relief efforts of this tragedy that has taken place in Sierra Leone please visit this link.

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