Tribewanted: Vorovoro

One of the main goals of Tribewanted Sierra Leone is job creation. The first year of the project will provide up to 25 jobs for the local community in farming, fishing, kitchen, security, teaching & building.

Alongside our international experts in earth-bag building and permaculture a local management team will lead the tribe.

Most importantly we need you – our tribe members – to join us at John Obey and play a part in building this new community.

Tribe Manager local: Daniel McCoy

Daniel has been living at River #2 for 22 years, he has a certificate as a tour-guide from a Freetown college and has been working in tourism for 15 years. He is the Co-founder of the River #2 beach boys, a community association of 47 young men that has been working on bringing tourism back to Sierra Leone. They put all the revenues they make from their bungalows, restaurant and drinks at River #2 back in a community pool and divide accordingly. Daniel says the right kind of tourism can be biggest opportunity for SL. The most important thing in Sierra Leone he says is job creation of youths and tourism is important because it provides cross cultural experiences. He is worried about the threat of mass tourism causing pollution, and destroying virgin places like Tiway island in the south east of SL, a habitat for many species. He doesn’t think there can be another war, the govt. is good and is fighting corruption. The only way for people to change perceptions is to come and see.

Community Manager: James Kanu

Like Daniel, he is the co-founder of River #2 beach boys community association. It takes them 2 years of making money to build 1 bungalow that costs $6.000. Says country needs tourism, agriculture, fishing and that the biggest problems is job facility and cost of living. $6-7/day for family of 4. During war couldn’t leave village to get food. Couldn’t go fishing. Patrolling soldiers on beach would take best catch of the day. He worked at Africana hotel next to River #2 community, run by French from ’87-’94) 5 star hotel 380 rooms, hired mostly people from Freetown though. James and Elija (our cook) were beach boys/tourist guide. There were a lot of tourists from France. But then the war came and it was burned down. Now its just a pile of ruins on the beach. James says resources are bad for SL because people don’t benefit from it. He brings up the fact that the country has a history of slavery and then a one party system. Says SL must change the perception with good governance and democracy and education.

Paul Sieh – John Obey Village Secretary

John is the Secretary of the John Obey village (2nd in command) and pastor of the Baptist church (used to be Muslim but then converted). He is also the teacher at the local school of 3rd and 4th grade. Paul’s father is oldest man in community. Paul has 16 siblings. 2 daughters 1 wife and was born and raised in John Obey. In Senior secondary school (high school) in Freetown he studied business. Paul is only adult who can read or write in the village (along with Hasan, the headman of the community). That’s why he became pastor and converted. It took 3 years training, he has been a pastor since 17. He has been a Teacher since 2005. He says he gets more respect if you a pastor. Gets $40/month as a salary for teacher from govt but spends $30 in transport/food costs. He has been community Secretary 9 years and is responsible for keeping records of financials, records of village, land, write letters. Lived in John Obey during war, escaped to River #2 when rebels were approaching, when he came back everything was burned.

Poyo (Palm wine) is his favorite drink. He is Limba by tribe. Limba’s are best at making poyo. Drink every morning and evening! His hope is to see John Obey grow, more people and work for youths. In last 10 years the village went from 8 to 25 houses, where 370 people live. Another 120 fishermen live by the beach. Has hope for SL because president has vision, is investing in electricity and health and Infrastructure/roads. The most needed thing is employment for youth. Youths are roaming streets without jobs. In the whole village of John Obey there are 3 generators, they just built a New Cinema. (shack with wooden seats and an old small tv powered by a generator. Before Tribewanted, the biggest employment from outside organizations was the quarry which employed 9 people. Few of them engage in agriculture since the govt. has made the peninsula a reservation and there cannot be anymore deforestation.