Sierra Leone is preparing for their national elections.
It’s their fourth elections since the end of their 11-year civil war but only the second
elections that’s being held without UN oversight.
We know that violence has been a staple in recent elections, but that got us thinking
about other aspects of life in the country.
Hey guys, I’m Versha and today we’re exploring what life is like in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone is a country of about 6 million people located on the west coast of Africa.
The majority of people there live in rural areas and roughly 40% of the population is
urbanized.
Sierra Leone is a multi-ethnic society.
There are about 18 ethnic groups.
Two of the largest ethnic groups are the Temne and Mende.
The Temne are generally found in the center and northwest of the country while the Mende
can be found in the east and the south.
English is the official language.
It’s used in areas like education and commerce.
Krio, a language that is a mixture between English and a variety of African languages,
is also widely used.
About 42% of people are under the age of 14 years old.
This young population boom is in part due to the nation’s high fertility rate -- with
each woman on average having about 5 children each.
But women are also dying at a much higher rate due to childbirth.
The nation has one of the highest maternal death rates in the world.
About 78% of people in Sierra Leone are Muslim.
Christians, the next largest religious group, account for almost 21% of the population.
But many people there continue to practice traditional religions, collectively called
African Traditional Religion as well as their Muslim or Christian faiths.
Sierra Leone is an extremely poor country, with more than half of its people living below
the international poverty line of $1.25 per day.
According the the United Nations Human Development Index Sierra Leone ranked the 179th poorest
nation in 2016.
Almost half of those of working-age live on subsistence agriculture, but the country’s
mineral industries play a major economic role, as well: Diamonds and iron are major exports.
Overall, the nation’s economy did see a down tick in 2015 following the 2014 Ebola
crisis, but in recent years has seen some growth.
The future of the economy, however, remains uncertain -- given the shrinking prices of
iron around the world.
When it’s time for a meal, most families prepare their food with wood or charcoal stoves,
while many in the city use gas or electricity.
Cassava, okra and beans are extremely popular in the country, but the biggest staple in
the diet is rice.
According to researchers in 2009, just over 200 pounds of milled rice was consumed per
person per year.
Rice is typically eaten multiple times in a day, and usually served with a number of
rich stews and sauces that often include fish, chicken, pork, or goat meat.
We also have to mention that Sierra Leone has been marred by conflict, violence, and
disease over the last two decades—because their impacts can still be felt today.
The country spiraled into civil war from 1991-2002.
Tens of thousands of civilians died as a result.
Hundreds were subjected to brutal limb amputation as punishment and women were subject to widespread
sexual abuse.
Both sides of the conflict—rebels and government forces—used child soldiers in their fights.
And up to a quarter of the population was displaced.
In 1999 a ceasefire was brokered and UN troops were deployed to help keep the peace but the
war wasn’t officially declared over until 2002.
Then in 2014, Sierra Leone was one of the hardest hit by the regional ebola outbreak.
There were over 14,000 confirmed cases of the virus, and nearly 4,000 people died as
a result.
Citizens have grown mistrustful of the government after its perceived mismanagement of the ebola
crisis
And in 2017 deadly mudslides killed hundreds of people and displaced hundreds more.
The scars and impacts of these issues affect daily life in the country to this day.
Because Sierra Leone still suffers some from the geographical and political divisions that
fueled its civil conflict, a peaceful, democratic transition of power would be a major milestone.
But minor violence related to the elections has already broken out, and the United Nations
has expressed its concern.
So in this episode, we talked a little bit about the elections in Sierra Leone, but there
are a ton of important elections happening around the world this year.
Which one are you guys most interested in?
Let us know in the comments below, thank you for watching NowThis World and please don’t
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