Sierra Leone portraits part 1
Recently I traveled to Sierra Leone with my wife Becky and daughter Suki to photograph for two charities in the third largest city, Kenema. The first was Swawou School Foundation who provide free quality education in a child friendly learning environment to disadvantaged girls from the Swawou community of Kenema town, eastern Sierra Leone. The second Orkidstudio is dedicated to exploring and developing the connection between architecture and humanitarian aid. Their projects seek to help young people and communities worldwide, inspiring a sense of pride and ambition, through innovative and sustainable design. They work on a voluntary basis taking groups of architecture students to work along side locally based tradesmen. This makes for an amazing catalyst for a cross cultural exchange of ideas and building techniques.
Orkid Studio are currently building a new school for Swawou, with a solid roof and brick walls on a beautiful, peaceful site which will be a huge change from the temporary structure, next to a busy market, built from sticks and woven palm leaves that the school is currently housed in.
I did not ask anyone to pose for these images letting them stand at will and lit them with a couple of speed lights and home made light shapers created on location.
Hawa Soyoh one of the Swawou School students infront of her home.
Mary Kamara one of the Swawou School students infront of the cooking area next to her house.
Chief Ansumana Sheriff in front of the old Swawou school. He is Chief for the area IDA area of Kenema.
RSM Kamara, 2nd Infantry Battalion in front of the barracks gates. The barracks is right next to the new Swawou school providing support and protection to the build and the building.
Kirsty Cassels is one of the volenteer project coordinators and achitects from Orkid studios for the build of the new Swawou school
Musa Jaward in front of his wood store for his carpentary business. The workshop is out of the frame to the left under a huge mango tree
Feremusu Turay one of the Swawou School students infront of the cooking area next to her house. With her homework and all the mangoes she has just picked.
Mohamed Kallon AKA Gadafi in the store for the building site for the new Swawou School.
Amie Koroma one of the Swawou School students infront of the cooking area next to her house.
Brick layer Lahai Samai Ngabulango on the building site for the new Swawou School Sierra Leone. Lahai was one of the most experienced brickies on site.
Labourer Mustapha Vibbie on the Swawou school building site. Mustapha is working to be able to afford to go back to school.
Labourer Robert Borbor is one of the cement mixers on site mixing, in high temperatures muck by hand.
Morison Kallon digging a 15 foot deep cesspit for the new Swawou school, Sierra Leone.
One of the Swawou School students Aminata Sheriff infront of her home.
One of the Swawou School students Gbishi Brama infront of her home she shares with her own and 3 other families.