By patricia.ngevao@awokonewspapersl.com (ATJLF/MRCG Fellow 2025)
When Mohamed Kamara first read the final report of Sierra Leone’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission from his home in the United States of America, the memories of war came rushing back. “My sister disappeared during the conflict. Reading those testimonies was heartbreaking but it strengthened my resolve to support justice from afar,” he recalls. Today, Kamara as an individual is helping vulnerable families back home, an effort of hope and solidarity from the diaspora.
Across continents, other Sierra Leoneans have remained deeply involved in the country’s transitional justice process, providing financial aid to those in need. They serve as advocates, fundraisers, and intermediaries between international bodies and communities affected by the war that ravaged Sierra Leone from 1991 to 2002.
Fatmata Sesay, a human rights researcher based in the Netherlands, says: “We use our connection to international platforms not just to push for justice and reparations, but also to make sure the voices of war survivors, especially orphans are heard and supported.”
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