Juliette Schmidt is the Assistant Director of Search’s Partners-in-Humanity program on Muslim-Western relations. This is the first piece in a two-part series on Ramadan around the world. Her next piece will feature perspectives from Lebannon and Indonesia.
The Al-Zaim family of Duxbury, Massachusetts breaking their Ramadan fast (Justine Hunt/Globe Staff Photo)
By Juliette Schmidt
Working with an international, multi-faith team at Search for Common Ground (SFCG), a non-profit conflict transformation organisation, Ramadan impacts not only colleagues who adhere to a diet and lifestyle that affords greater time for spiritual reflection, but also cross-time zone team meetings that are scheduled around fast-breaking iftar dinners, and greater understanding for those working long days with no food or water.
Certainly Ramadan is about more than just daytime fasts and evening iftars; for many it is a month-long journey toward spiritual enlightenment and a practice in self-discipline and humility, when Muslims try to refrain from gossip, profanity, angry discourse, sexual contact (during the daytime fasting hours) and negative thoughts, all the while continuing their daily routines.
The journey differs not only from person to person, but also from country to country. Some worry about whether they are meeting their own high standards when it comes to fasting and work performance, while others experience a renewed all-around sense of calm and focus. And around the world, spiritual and cultural aspects of Ramadan blend in unique ways. read more…
Government hospital in Bo, Sierra Leone's 2nd largest city (Sarah Ochs)
By Sarah Ochs
On April 27th of this year the government of Sierra Leone launched a holistic, nation-wide healthcare initiative, within which provisions were made to lift service fees for all pregnant and lactating women and children under five (essentially making healthcare free for them.) Talking Drum has undertaken a nation-wide media campaign to disseminate primary information about the government plan and the mechanisms in place to pursue transparency and accountability.
(Remember, Americans, when our television went digital and someone had to explain it to us? Well, it’s like that, but serious.)
My purpose here in Sierra Leone is to monitor this Talking Drum Studio media campaign, and to assess it in terms of its efficacy in educating people about both the initiative and the mechanisms to address corruption and transparency. read more…
Peace through media in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leonan youths listen to the radio as they wait to vote. Radio plays an important role in Sierra Leone.
This great editorial speaks to the challenges and necessities of giving a voice to the voiceless. The author, Mary Magellan, traveled to Sierra Leone as part of a peacebuilding course. Her fellow students met with Search for Common Ground staff in Sierra Leone to learn about the roles they have played in the peacebuilding process and how they have engaged media in their efforts:
“We asked SFCG, ‘What do you believe the causes of the civil war to be?’ Director James Ambrose responded, ‘alienating the youth from making decisions and participating in politics, and [not] giving them opportunities to work.’ SFCG has addressed these root causes by using media to reintegrate and empower youth. They established Talking Drums Studios, a multi-media production studio, to create radio and audio programs that encourage the youth to take an active role in building peace and transforming conflict. Adolescents write and sing songs, recite poems, and tell stories about the challenges they face in the aftermath of the war. Talking Drums promotes the progression of sustainable peace by encouraging citizens to apologize, forgive and heal in a safe space.”
Read the rest of Mary’s reflections here and find out more about SFCG’s actions to secure the release of child soldiers from rebel groups.
Congo SFCG police training
By Tanya Castle
When men are asked in Congo why women are raped, there are two main responses:
- the war
- they dress “badly,” a.k.a provocatively.
There is no doubt that the two official wars fought in Congo during the 1990s and into the 2000s, raged not only on the sprawling terrain of the country, but also against the bodies of women. Although these wars have officially come to an end conflicts continue in the Eastern part of the country, and women’s bodies once again provide the battlefield. So yes, the conflict in the East or the “war” does play a part in rapes but dressing provocatively, I’m not so sure. read more…
Internationl intern, Tom Ellum, continues his road trip across Sierra Leone. Read the first part of his adventure here.
Sierra Leone (wwoofsl.org)
We stopped on the journey back to Bo to discuss politics with Forday, the chairman of a local youth organisation, over some poyo (palm wine). He assured us his organisation will attend the THM arriving on 30 motorbikes – a sight I’m looking forward to seeing! Heading north, the Mende cries of ‘bonwi bonwi’ gave way to calls of ‘obotee obotee’ as we crossed a bridge with children washing below. We were now in Tenme country and heading to Makeni, the All People’s Congress stronghold. Although we arrived early, civil society connections secured us a prompt meeting with the Chairman on Bombali District Council. read more…
Tom Ellum is interning with SFCG’s Talking Drum Studio (TDS) in Sierra Leone. He’s currently completing his master’s in International Development and is using his internship to gain experience in post-conflict development. Previously he worked in business intelligence, producing conferences, in the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia. To relax, Tom plays a lot of sport and enjoys to travel, most recently driving from the UK to Ghana.
Freetown (en.academic.ru)
By Tom Ellum
Rising out from Freetown past the imposing US Embassy and the International Military Advisory and Training Team’s (IMATT) alternative Trafalgar Square the urban sprawl gave way to tree-covered hills about the same time as the tarmac ran out. Taking the mountain road, following the river past waterfalls through the centre of the Freetown peninsula we rejoined the tarmac at Waterloo. Just in time, I was beginning to feel the bumps through the suspension of the ‘hard top’ Toyota through my not quite so soft bench. Unfortunately, this was only the start of my on-road, off-road experience. read more…
