Visiting a country rich in love, faith and hope
Sierra Leone — nicknamed Salone by many who live there — is one of the poorest countries in the world. But it’s rich in other ways … with love, strong faith, and hope for the future. I spent my spring break in Freetown, the city where freed slaves returned to Africa.
With five Illinois College of Media journalism students and two professors, we shot b-roll, conducted interviews, and collected audio to create a documentary on mitigating period poverty.
Families in Salone constantly face impossible decisions. Financial constraints force households to choose between putting food on the table and purchasing period products.
With the culture of menstrual shame in the country, women are not supposed to speak about their cycle. It is seen as taboo and solely a female issue. Throughout the week, we spoke with sexual and reproductive health educators and advocates. These empowering women are spreading the message that periods are not something to be ashamed of but celebrated. There would be no human population without menstrual cycles.
Our team followed Uman Tok, an organization providing reproductive health awareness, education, and sustainable feminine health kits to women and girls. We also spoke with educators at the Education For All school; a nurse midwife who worked during the country’s civil war; and young Sierra Leonean women who have just reached puberty. It is my privilege to be able to share the stories of the most amazing, resilient, and kind-hearted women I have ever met.
The documentary was made in partnership with journalism students at Fourah Bay College at the University of Sierra Leone. Working with students from Freetown, who are my age and also studying journalism, was an experience like no other. The close relationships, formed only after a week, make me long to return to Salone as soon as possible.
Until then, our team of Illinois journalism students will do all we can to advocate for our peers in Africa.
The Sierra Leone study abroad team presented a trailer of the documentary on April 25, 2024, at the Undergraduate Research Symposium at the Illini Union. The documentary will air today, May 28, 2024, Menstrual Hygiene Day.
Elena Cleary is a student in Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.