Sierra Leoneans in Britain answer Ebola 'call of duty'

Watching with horror as the Ebola crisis ravages their country, Sierra Leoneans in London are mobilizing to help their compatriots fight the deadly virus back home.

Health workers are taking leaves from their jobs in the state-run National Health Service to volunteer in Sierra Leone, where at least 1,200 people have died so far.

Others are raising funds for medical supplies, protective clothing and even hot meals for those affected - anything that makes a difference.

"I see it as a call of duty - I need to go down and help my people," said Ajan Fofanah, a 46-year-old trained pediatric nurse who has applied to spend eight weeks working in Sierra Leone.

Born in the West African country, he moved to Britain when he was 27 to further his education. Now he wants to use his skills to help battle the virus that has killed four members of his extended family.

"I'm far away from them, and this is what is heart-rending. I need to get closer," he said.

Fofanah was one of about 80 Sierra Leonean medics who attended an event in London last week to find out more about how they could help.

All were successful professionals keen to put their careers in Britain on hold and even risk being infected with Ebola to help their country.

Mohammed Koker, a 50-year-old emergency doctor who has worked in Britain for 12 years, hoped his knowledge of languages and traditions would help break down barriers with locals.

"I think the urge within me to perform what I call a national duty overrides my fear," he said.

"Most importantly, I have all the Sierra Leoneans back home who have no medical knowledge and who are sacrificing themselves, who are doing more than I think I am doing here."

It is not only doctors who are desperate to help.

The British government is leading the international aid effort in its former colony, but members of the 23,000-strong Sierra Leonean diaspora in the country want to go further.

'Only Topic'

Ebola "is the only topic of conversation" among many, said Ade Daramy, chairman of the Sierra Leone Diaspora Ebola Task Force, which is working to help coordinate the response.

"When you live overseas and you've got family there - that just breaks you," said Memuna Janneh, a 46-year-old British business consultant who grew up in Sierra Leone.

She started a charity in London to help feed people working on the front line in Freetown, and provided 2,600 meals to people living rough during the three-day lockdown in September.

"We may not have the cure, we may not have the logistics, we may not have the hospitals, all of those more complicated things that the government is battling to deal with," she said.

"But we can certainly as ordinary people come together to do food. It was really that simple for me."

We may not have the cure. ... But we can certainly as ordinary people come together to do food. It was really that simple for me."

(China Daily 10/28/2014 page10)