By Abdul M. Jalloh (+232-77-98-13-70/+232-78-33-14-55)
Residents of the Panlap Amputee and War Wounded Camp, located along the Kabala Highway, are calling on the government, NGOs, humanitarian organizations, and members of the public to urgently address the severe challenges they face. The disabled community at the camp, established in 2002, is struggling with hunger, poverty, and a lack of educational opportunities for their children.
Sorkohya Kargbo, chairman of the camp, expressed deep frustration over the continued neglect. He revealed that since the camp’s inception, they have only received food and other supplies for seven months. Despite their dire circumstances, no substantial support has been provided by the government, NGOs, or philanthropists, apart from occasional assistance from friends in Makeni during Eid and Christmas celebrations.
“We are slowly dying, and our children are suffering too,” Sorkohya Kargbo lamented. “Sometimes, we have no choice but to travel to Freetown and other parts of the country to beg for survival. We are pleading—please help us now!”
Pa Lamin Tarawallie, another resident, echoed Sorkohya Kargbo’s concerns, emphasizing the desperate need for food and quality education for their children. “We are standing at the edge of death. If no one helps us soon, we will perish. The suffering is unbearable, and we are close to the end,” Tarawallie warned.
Memuna Conteh, a mother at the camp, broke down in tears during the interview, overwhelmed by the extreme hardship they endure daily. The camp’s residents are in desperate need of immediate assistance to improve their living conditions and secure a better future for their children.
The Panlap Amputee and War Wounded Camp was initially built to provide refuge for victims of Sierra Leone’s brutal civil war. However, decades later, its residents continue to live in abject poverty, abandoned by the very systems meant to protect them. Their plea is a call to action, seeking urgent intervention to prevent further suffering and loss of life.
