Cliffrene Haffner, 16 years. Sierra Leone

14/05/2020

She is one of the girls of the Girls Empowerment Sierra Leone (GESL),  a social impact organization that nurtures and enhances the leadership skills of young girls to become effective advocates and social change agents in their communities.

We the children want to go back to school, Covid-19 go, go, go

I heard it all started in a town in China and now it is spreading in its country of origin and all around the world, causing deaths and pains, reducing daily activities, putting education, works, entertainment and sport to a stop.

I never imagined that this epidemic will enter my beloved country as the president, this Excellency president Julius Maada Bio and his government had ensured to put preventive measures in place.

The epidemic came as a shock to me; it started with the closing down of educational institution, which has resulted to another setback in terms of creating future leaders and promoting his mission of quality education. Businesses started closing down, our borders closed. Medical provision has reduced due to the fear of losing lives from both the providers and receivers. Citizens fight for survival as there is lacks of food, money and other basic needs.

I am just a little child listening to news and pondering on what is at stake as well as thinking of returning to school. I Fear for the lives of some children especially girls from being abuse by rapist and getting affected by other elements.

Living in boredom with nothing productive to do except the social media teaching which is not effective as many, children cannot afford to access it. It breaks my heart even more when I went to town and saw little kids trading in the street for survival.

Covid-19 you have caused so many destruction and set back. I could only wish you depart from us now never to return. We the children wants to go back to school, Covid-19 go, go, go.