Ebola has been a devastating virus, one that continues to affect people across West Africa. The challenges associated with serving as Peace Corps Volunteer Educator have increased as we have worked and continue to work (In America) to sensitize people about Ebola.
Despite what you may have heard. To contract Ebola, you must have direct contact with someone not only infected, but expressing symptoms of Ebola. It is true, there is currently no known cure for the Ebola virus. But it is important to note that people have survived Ebola. According to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone “As of August 11, 2014, a total of 181 patients have survived Ebola virus disease and have been subsequently discharged”. When infected individuals seek medical help early, it’s possible for you to overcome the virus, if your body can be kept stable. I also want to stress that preventative measures are as easy as hand washing and avoiding persons expressing symptoms of Ebola. Americans shouldn't be afraid.
The question you should be asking, is why does the Ebola virus continue to devastate the peoples of West Africa?In my opinion, the problem is an issue that has affected Sierra Leone and many developing countries for some time. The problem is education. Though there are many educated individuals doing their part in Sierra Leone to fight and raise awareness about Ebola, the root of the problem stems from people’s lack of understanding. Even now as Ebola continues to spread across the country, some individuals still refuse to believe its existence. One question I was asked frequently by Sierra Leoneans was “Yu wan day si Ebola”? Meaning, have you ever seen Ebola? This question often came about when local community members were deciding whether or not to believe this threat. After all, to some, seeing is believing. Even individuals in the most remote villages have heard BBC news, government speeches, and responses on personal radios… but some still choose to place blame (of deaths) in other areas. This ignorance stems from people’s lack of understanding of viruses. But is it that hard for us to understand this standpoint? Imagine growing up in a community with basic medical facilities and few educational resources. You’ve spent your whole life seeing your friends and family afflicted by various parasites and pathogens unknown to you. And how can you know?
Your parent’s could be illiterate. Your science teacher may
not have a science background, let alone a degree. He could very well be a
local community member just trying to help. Even when students are educated in
topics like sanitation, how can students properly understand sanitation when
it’s not practiced? How can they understand what a germ is from the chalkboard
when it’s not reinforced at home? These are some of the challenges my student’s
face.
Bobos (young boys) fishing during school hours
Even when community members have the ability to go to a nearby clinic or hospital, equipment such as X-rays are non-existent. How can you see and begin to understand what is affecting your body? Without such resources, it is no wonder people have a hard time understanding Ebola. Imagine if medical practitioners came to your community in full-body protective gear? How would you respond if people you knew were taken away, given an injection, and later died? Think how this could be perceived by different peoples of the world. During my experience in Sierra Leone, I remember Sierra Leoneans describing the influx of medical practitioners as “fearful”. And they have every right to be afraid. People fear what they don’t understand. Unfortunately, it is their responses to this fear that have contributed to the spread of Ebola. Such responses have included avoiding tests, running, and hiding infected family members. Spreading Ebola awareness has and continues to be of critical importance to combat Ebola, but it does not explain how viruses work. Telling people to wash their hands does not create an understanding of sanitation. It all leads back to education. I believe we need to put more emphasis on educational topics such as germs, viruses, and sanitation.
Some people believe the consumption of bush meat led to this Ebola outbreak. However, it should be known that bush meat is regularly
consumed by many Sierra Leoneans. A friendly reminder to cook your meat
thoroughly! Pictured above are some neighbors preparing a monitor lizard and some roasted cashew nuts to eat.
Of course it is not purely education. There are countless factors we could list. Among them, cultural traditions that influence the spread of Ebola. One cultural aspect that could be influencing the spread of Ebola, is the amount of greeting Sierra Leoneans do on a day-to-day basis. It is customary to greet your friends, family members, and neighbors throughout the day. Greetings are very personal, with excessive hand-shaking, personal questions about your health, and little personal space. This is customary, and something you learn to love and appreciate about Sierra Leoneans. They’re the friendliest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of living amongst. Traditions associated with burials have also increased the transmission of Ebola. Washing and dressing the body of a deceased individual, infected with Ebola, is a sure way to spread the disease amongst community members. So to take precautionary measures against Ebola, some West African communities must go against their own traditions. Another challenge in the face of this epidemic. Thankfully, Sierra Leoneans and the people of West Africa are not alone in this fight.
Our Sierra Leonean Language and Cross-Cultural Facilitators (LCFs), staff, and Peace Corps Volunteers before a friendly soccer match. They are all family to us.
Many of our own Americans (along with countless other nationalities) are putting themselves at risk, working to help the people of Sierra Leone and West Africa defend themselves against this Ebola epidemic. They along with the peoples of West Africa need our support in more ways than we could possibly imagine. Though it is difficult to educate the peoples of West Africa from afar, we can do our part by educating ourselves. We can work to understand why this is happening and dispel our own misconceptions. Let us just remember to focus on the people facing this virus, not ourselves or our fears.
Even when community members have the ability to go to a nearby clinic or hospital, equipment such as X-rays are non-existent. How can you see and begin to understand what is affecting your body? Without such resources, it is no wonder people have a hard time understanding Ebola. Imagine if medical practitioners came to your community in full-body protective gear? How would you respond if people you knew were taken away, given an injection, and later died? Think how this could be perceived by different peoples of the world. During my experience in Sierra Leone, I remember Sierra Leoneans describing the influx of medical practitioners as “fearful”. And they have every right to be afraid. People fear what they don’t understand. Unfortunately, it is their responses to this fear that have contributed to the spread of Ebola. Such responses have included avoiding tests, running, and hiding infected family members. Spreading Ebola awareness has and continues to be of critical importance to combat Ebola, but it does not explain how viruses work. Telling people to wash their hands does not create an understanding of sanitation. It all leads back to education. I believe we need to put more emphasis on educational topics such as germs, viruses, and sanitation.
Of course it is not purely education. There are countless factors we could list. Among them, cultural traditions that influence the spread of Ebola. One cultural aspect that could be influencing the spread of Ebola, is the amount of greeting Sierra Leoneans do on a day-to-day basis. It is customary to greet your friends, family members, and neighbors throughout the day. Greetings are very personal, with excessive hand-shaking, personal questions about your health, and little personal space. This is customary, and something you learn to love and appreciate about Sierra Leoneans. They’re the friendliest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of living amongst. Traditions associated with burials have also increased the transmission of Ebola. Washing and dressing the body of a deceased individual, infected with Ebola, is a sure way to spread the disease amongst community members. So to take precautionary measures against Ebola, some West African communities must go against their own traditions. Another challenge in the face of this epidemic. Thankfully, Sierra Leoneans and the people of West Africa are not alone in this fight.
Many of our own Americans (along with countless other nationalities) are putting themselves at risk, working to help the people of Sierra Leone and West Africa defend themselves against this Ebola epidemic. They along with the peoples of West Africa need our support in more ways than we could possibly imagine. Though it is difficult to educate the peoples of West Africa from afar, we can do our part by educating ourselves. We can work to understand why this is happening and dispel our own misconceptions. Let us just remember to focus on the people facing this virus, not ourselves or our fears.
Here is a Cultural Story believed to involve one of the first Ebola cases in Sierra Leone:
(Translated from Krio and spiced up a pinch)
There was a married couple in eastern Sierra Leone. They lived in a small village near the border of Guinea. The man’s wife was a mysterious woman. She had a small wooden box, no bigger than a shoe box. The woman’s only condition with her husband was that he was never to open the box. It was forever to remain shut. The man found this strange, but agreed to his wife’s wishes. One day when the woman was out, her husband wandered the house looking for a cigarette. Suddenly, he came upon the wooden box. The smooth dark wood enticed him, and his curiosity got the better of him. He opened the box slowly. To his horror, a snake lay inside! Afraid, the man fell back in terror. Gripping the floor he turned to see his wife standing in the doorway. “Look what you have done; you were not to open the box. You have killed me… but I will not go alone! I will take you with me,” she said. And so the wife did. She took her husband with her in death. The mysterious box had kept her alive until opened. The box had unleashed death.
I heard this story several times from Sierra Leoneans in different parts of the north. This is a cultural story passed on to explain mysterious deaths. Soon after, these deaths became known as some of the first Ebola cases known in Sierra Leone.
Thank you for taking the time to read my perspective on Ebola. I hope in some way, you've gained insight from another cultural perspective as I have.
Thoughts and prayers for West Africa,
Matthew Solberg
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