OneVillage Partners Blog

A Reason to Survive: Baindu Joseph’s Story

Baindu is a local business owner in Jokibu who got started with an OVP women’s loan. She also helps take care of OVP’s travelers and summer interns.

Ten days ago I thought I was going to die. After three days of severe bleeding, I was rushed from my small village of Jokibu to the government hospital in Kenema—the third largest city in Sierra Leone. I was only conscious for ten minutes of the two hour motorbike ride. I woke in the hospital, with my daughter by my side.  Through the stream of tears pouring down her white cheeks, I knew my battle was not over.

I had tumors on my ovaries. The only option was surgery to remove my ovaries and uterus—the parts that identify me as a woman.  In my country, most women who have yet to bear children would refuse the surgery, even if that meant death.  Children define women here and to not have them means you will never marry.

My life is different than the other women in my country because of OneVillage Partners.  In 2009, I was one of five women to receive OVP’s first women’s loan.  Since then, I have grown my business from OVP’s initial loan of $125 USD to larger than $2,000. My business is my focus. Despite not having a husband, I have many children all over the world. Even though I did not birth them in a traditional sense, I cared for them greatly during their time in Sierra Leone.  They are my OVP ‘pikin’ (children, in Krio, Sierra Leone’s lingua franca).  OneVillage Partners gave me a reason to survive and one beautiful white daughter that forced me to survive the last ten days.

Tomorrow I will be discharged from the hospital. I will never be able to have children but I have my business and I have my OVP pikin. They have all sent me letters of support. Ben said he is praying for me, Aaron shared his favorite memories, Eirene praised my cooking, and ten others took the time to share their sympathies. Tears flowed down my cheeks as my daughter read me the letters.  After wiping away the tears, we looked at each other and laughed. We knew the other patients were jealous.

The next few months of recovery will not be easy but every day I thank God for the blessings that OVP has given me. I will return home, expand my market, and care for my OVP pikin.

-Baindu Joseph

Kari’s Perspective on Baindu’s Story

During the past sixteen months in Sierra Leone, Baindu has been a second mother to me. She cooks for me, laughs with me, cries with me, hugs me, and cares for me when I am sick. Baindu has served this role for countless other interns and travelers in the past. I was devastated when I found out she was sick and then became even more devastated as I experienced the disparity that exists within the health care system in Sierra Leone.

Unfortunately, I was in Freetown—the capital of Sierra Leone—when Baindu got sick. I rushed to meet her on that first day and was brought to tears when I saw her for the first time. Honestly, I was not sure she would survive. Her hemoglobin count was 4 (the average healthy person is between 12 and 16) and she was still losing blood. For the next ten days, I helped nurse Baindu while growing an even greater appreciation for the strength of Sierra Leonean women.

Baindu was not given pain medication for over 24 hours after her surgery because none of the nurses was confident enough to administer the medicine. The doctor refused to visit her until 36 hours after surgery because he said he was too overworked that day and I had not paid him enough.  Two days after surgery, they said the hospital ran out of bed nets so Baindu slept unprotected from the mosquitoes that cause malaria—the number one killer in Sierra Leone. These are just a few of the glaring differences between treatment in the United States and Sierra Leone. Although I do believe Sierra Leone is making some strides forward in health, including free care for pregnant and lactating mothers and children under five, it has a long way to go.

At the government hospital in Kenema, I grew an even deeper respect for OneVillage Partners. Baindu said it over and over again just days after surgery: If it were not for OVP, she never would have survived. Even if she had survived in a physical sense, her emotional state would not have willed her to survive many more years. Because of OVP, Baindu has money to buy medicine and support a healthy diet, she has a business to focus on, and the support of many people in the United States. OneVillage Partner’s family of interns, friends, and travelers willed Baindu to live in the past ten days. Just hours after sending an appeal for letters of support, I had over ten letters to show Baindu. It is so clear to me that Baindu was right; OneVillage Partners saved her life, and will hopefully continue to be assist in the advancement of medical care in Sierra Leone.

-Kari Foley, OVP Field Officer

A few excerpts from interns’ letters to Baindu:

Keep fighting to get better soon. You are an amazing woman and the world is a better place with you in it.

I love you so much. Thank you for helping to cook all of those amazing meals when I lived in Jokibu. You mean so much to me, and are a big reason that I love Sierra Leone so much. Every day I would look forward to your beautiful face and big smiles, and your amazing cooking!!!

I should have told you this long ago but I have a photo of you and I hanging in my room that motivates me every day. You are my inspiration. We were only able to spend a few short months together, but you touched my heart and changed me for the better. If anyone can get through this, it is you. You are the strongest woman I know.

 Tracking our Impact: Braima Sellu’s Story

Braima and his family in front off their new latrine.

Braima currently works as a Community Teacher in Jokibu village

 In 1997, I carried a 50 pound bag of rice for twenty four miles in exchange for the equivalent of $3 USD. At the time, rebels had invaded my country, Sierra Leone, and burned my childhood home of Jokibu. The Sierra Leonean Army was hiring local citizens to transport food in order to avoid travel on the main rebel infested roads. It was the toughest day of my life. I had finished senior secondary school, could read and write English, and had started a family but was still desperate enough to make that dangerous journey.

Today, my life is miles away from the painful journey I took that day. I have five beautiful children with my wife Jattu—Hawa (junior secondary two), Sellu and Satta (primary class five), Grace (primary class one), and baby Sattu. I have a large plantation farm and rice swamp that I cultivate in order to feed my family and I am currently employed by OneVillage Partners as a trained and qualified community teacher.

Braima teaching in front of his house.

I can honestly say that I would not be here today without the help of OneVillage Partners. After the war, I had heard that OVP was encouraging people to return to their homes by providing zinc for their roofs. Only through the support of OVP was I able to rebuild my home and return to the place my mother and father had raised me. Just one year later, I was hired as an OVP income officer. In this role, I bought cocoa from local farmers, gave loans to help improve nutritional habits and farming practices, and learned how to type on a computer.

This year, I resigned as income officer to pursue a career in teaching. At the encouragement of OVP, I completed a two year teaching certificate course and now am on track for becoming a government employed teacher. OVP has helped me to work in a field that I love and comfortably support my family. Beyond my employment, my family benefits tremendously from the program. We use the OVP constructed water wells and latrines every day. My children use materials in the primary school donated by OVP funders and my wife is a women’s business loan recipient.

Braima and his family.

As one of the first OVP staff members I have had the chance to experience its growth along with my own. Today the program is very wide—reaching all members of my community. Community members admire OVP for its willingness to hire local staff and listen to the voices of the community. I admire it for its willingness to change and adapt to local customs and beliefs. No other program operates the way OVP does.

On behalf of myself, my family, and my home community of Jokibu, I thank OneVillage Partners for the impact it has made on my life.

-Braima Sellu