Living in a society where people expect men and boys to be strong, no matter the cost, I struggled to bring myself back. A few years later, I volunteered at the Thinking Pink Breast Cancer Foundation, where I worked as a clinical researcher and counsellor. I was also working on a project to find a possible cure for my mother’s cancer, which had ultimately taken her from me. My research led me to some natural herbs that showed promise, but I didn’t have the opportunity to further explore this potential cure.
I applied for and received a CDC scholarship to study online at the University Of Albany State University Of New York. Although I had previously wanted to become an IT specialist, this new path led me to a job as a public health officer with the District Health Management Team in Koinadugu, Sierra Leone. I was even put in charge of all the public health inspectors. I was a versatile employee, working as a data manager for Ebola and COVID-19 vaccination studies, as well as a support worker in the M&E unit. I also provided supportive work at the Kabala government hospital.
Later, I relocated to Bombali District and applied to become a Kidney Health Coach with the American Kidney Fund program, and the American Society of Nephrology gave me a second chance to save lives after the training. It was during this time that I met a young man from Cameroon who inspired me so much that I ended up starting my own organization, called We Care Sierra Leone.
I even had a small business as a joint venture with my wife. However, my wife believed I was using the business money to support the organization, and we had several issues over this. In 2024, I decided to pay attention to my organization, and my wife devised a plan to eliminate me from the business, using the excuse that I couldn’t account for the money I was using. This led to me becoming homeless, but I never gave up on my organization.
I have been running the organization alone, with occasional support from well-wishers and some extra work I do. I have gained some partnerships with organizations like Apex Multi-Media, Help Madina, T1 International Global Advocacy, and the makeni Government Hospital, but there is no funding from any of them.
As of now, my organization has secured a space at the Makeni government hospital, where I should set up a Diabetes unit. The next unit I am advocating for is a Cancer unit, as cancer is on the rise in the district, but there is currently no such unit at the Makeni government hospital.
Despite the challenges, I have remained dedicated to my organization and its mission to save lives. However, I have used all my money to set this up and I now need more funding to continue my work and expand the services we offer.
