My Trip to Sierra Leone and Kenya with Right Sharing of World Resources

In 2019 I received a message from Right Sharing of World Resources to see if we might feel called to work together on a series of videos documenting their work supporting women in Sierra Leone, Kenya and India. Of course COVID delayed our plans, but I’ve spent the past year speaking with board members and hearing about the transformative nature of this work. Last month we finally got to go! I boarded a plane with the Executive Director Jackie Stillwell and we spent a week in Sierra Leone and another week in Kisumu, Kenya.

It has not been uncommon to collect a group of onlookers as we visit with the women's groups here. Sama village, in the far Eastern corner of Sierra Leone, was no different. — It has not been uncommon to collect a group of onlookers as we visit with the women’s groups here. Sama village, in the far Eastern corner of Sierra Leone, was no different.

Even before we arrived, I was inspired by the stories of these women who have banded together to embark on new business ventures that uplift their communities. But meeting them in person has been another experience altogether. I am awestruck by their joy, their gracious playfulness and their collective ingenuity.

Leister Village Freetown Sierra Leone — Rextina Louis started a farming project with a community of 30 women in the Leister Village section of Freetown. I was amazed… the tour of their farm just kept going and going. Super accomplished woman.

Everywhere we went, Jackie and I were met with joy and celebration, and the women we interviewed shared stories of serious challenge and hardship all while praising God and giving thanks. This video is an accurate depiction of the reception we encountered every time we visited a group. Unfettered joy, celebration, welcome.

I’m humbled by the project of telling these stories for a broader audience. Thanks to Right Sharing of World Resources for entrusting me with the task. My job on the trip was mostly to shoot video (and there is a lot of it!) but I couldn’t help but snap some photos while we were in these incredible places. Here are a few of my favorites.

A member of the Sama Village Women's Association demonstrating her fishing haul.

The women in Sama Village in Eastern Sierra Leone took us on a long hike to see their rice fields, and I snapped a few photos along the way.

Jackie Stillwell with Margaret Adhiambo Dodo, a member of the Wan’g Bondo Women's Group in Kisumu, Kenya.

Jackie Stillwell with Rose Kasei, a member of the Kitulu Women’s Group in Banja, Kenya.

The women of Kitulu Women's Group in Banja, Kenya were so fun and playful. They enjoyed egging each other on from behind the scenes while I was taking portraits.

The women of Sengbe village in northwest Sierra Leone greeted us with these amazing outfits and took us trekking through the woods to see their rice fields.

A woman and her child in Sengbe village in Northwestern Sierra Leone.

Sengbe village in Northwestern Sierra Leone.

The third leg of our trip was delayed this time due to COVID restrictions in India but as Omicron calms down, it looks like we’ll be able to make it out in March. Prayers appreciated.

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