FAMBUL TOK WALKING SIDE BY SIDE

KOINADUGU, SIERRA LEONE 2014

To recap for those who know and educate those who don’t, Fambul Tok does not GIVE the villagers anything: promises, money, shoes, clothes, etc.  Fambul Tok provides a people designed & owned, sustainable process creating a safe space to testify/confess/accuse about experiences during the war.  Fambul Tok promotes restorative justice, unity and healing through the power of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Once the villages in a section have had the bonfire night and the ancestor ceremony the following morning, the FT staff presents suggestions for the way forward reinforcing the walk side by side concept.  The villages in the section are encouraged to unify at the sectional level by establishing a community farm, micro-loan scheme, or any other activity that will create unity, healing and productivity.

To explain the walk side by side idea one example given to the participants is about taking a bath, (remember we are in a village environment with no running water, etc.)  The question is asked: what do you need to take a bath?

1. Bucket
2. Water
3. Soap
4. Sponge

You get the bucket, water, and soap, but lack the sponge.  At that point FT will provide the sponge.  In other words showing self initiative has to happen before FT provides help.  Also if FT provides tools for harvest, or building supplies, or casava grinders, whatever it is, they do not ask for anything in return.  Many NGOs or INGOs ask for a return for their help.

It was a great privilege for me to witness this in action.  One of the villages in Koinadugu needed a storage unit (called a store here) for their rice so they could sell it at a higher price later in the year when supplies are low.  Without a storage unit rodents and bugs destroy the crop causing the need to sell at a low price immediately after harvest when supplies are high. 

The section was told to show initiative by beginning the building of the store.  They needed the land, the sticks for roof support, and the mud bricks and all the labor to build the store.  Once they have this beginning accomplished, FT provides the nails, tin for roofing, doors, and cement to finish both inside and out. The villagers still provide the labor for completion.  

On the Tuesday after Easter Ibrahim, Rev, Desmond and I gathered the supplies from a business in Kabala to deliver to the village.

Much Love To You All,

Mom/Grandma Syrup/Sara

Follows is a pictorial of that delivery: 

Ibrahim In Front of Store

Sticks For Roof in Peace Mothers' Office

Corner of Storage Space

Cement & Tin On Top

Unloading Cement

Bags and Boxes of Nails

Rev & Villager Getting Down The Tin

Rev. Carrying The Tin