Young Life in Freetown | Different Families, Same Love

Santigi Kalorkoh is a young father with a three-year-old daughter. Her mother died during childbirth. Santigi is a student in high school, and he works with a bike taxi service. Santigi makes about 50,000 Leones a day ferrying passengers on weekends. Santigi and his daughter live with his mother and stepfather. He doesn't pay rent, but whatever money he raises is used to pay school fees, take care of his daughter, and the rest is put aside to cover his five-year Okada license, which costs about 500,000 Leones. Santigi is sure that his daughter will have a good life because, by the time he finishes school, he would be doing big things.

Kadiatu Sesay is a hairdresser raising an eight-year-old son, Benjamin. Her husband walked out on the family five years ago and she receives no child support. Kadi and Ben live in one room. She earns about 400,000 Leones each month. Her housing takes up more than half of her income, and the other half goes on food. A cup of rice costs about 1500 Leones, and she buys a pail of water for 200 Leones.

Twenty-five-year-old Yeli lives with her son in a house her father built. Yeli shares her home with her mother, Mami Adama, six adult siblings, and their children.  Yeli sells fresh fish and earns 30,000 Leones a day. She gives a portion of her earnings to Mami Adama, who sells fruit in the market and helps the family save money.

For young life in Freetown, I'm Inyilla Borteh Conteh reporting.
Email us at sewa@sewanews.com

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