Foday Siaka was hired by the Sisters as a laborer at HRSS Kenema and at the TTC. He had a limited education (primary school) but was a hard worker. He came from the village of Gandorhun in Dama Chiefdom, this village reachable by dugout canoe from Vaama. He had taken me to see his village on one of my trips around our area. Foday was a very mild mannered man, and a very good father and husband. he would get to work early, sharpen his grass cutting blade, and during the rains he would work cutting the vast compound grass all by hand. His pay was meager although reasonable by Sierra Leone standards. But the work was back-breaking hard. In the heat he would be out there, bent over, his grass cutter in hand, cutting the grass. For the most part, around Sierra Leonean homes there was no grass. Grass was kept from near homes so that snakes would not get near homes without being seen. A nice Sierra Leone yard was swept daily. However - this Sisters had grass on the HRSS school compound and it had to be cut. The HRSS school compound was beautiful. The labor staff kept it so on direction of Sister Miriam Joseph (later Sister Tracey). It was Foday, along with Patrick Garlough, who kept the compound looking so nice. In the picture above, Foday, his wife, and his daughter are pictured.
1 comment:
Very true, the HRSS school compound is beautiful and has always been well maintained with different flowers of various colors all around. In the 80s we use to get into trouble with Sister Mary Colleth when we would pluck the flowers and decorate our hair. Oh, what fun days we had. Thanks to Foday Shiaka, Patrick Garlough and all those who made us fall in love with the school on first sight,and those who do to this day. God bless them and their families.
Post a Comment