Scenes from Freetown

Ibrahim, our taxi driver, is 19 years old and works six days a week to save up for college ($500 to $600 per year). Ibrahim hopes to study engineering. During the war, Ibrahim and his family were refugees in Guinea.

Travelers to Sierra Leone must travel by hovercraft or helicopter to get from Lungi Airport to Freetown.

The helicopter provides a view of Freetown's shoreline. Sierra Leone, which sits on the North Atlantic Ocean, is bordered by Guinea and Liberia.

A hilltop view of Freetown. On 6 January 1999, rebels invaded Freetown. By the time ECOMOG forces regained control of the city, almost two-thirds of the buildings in east Freetown were destroyed, nearly 7,000 people killed, hundreds mutilated, and 150,000 left homeless.

The famous cotton tree that stands in a roundabout in downtown Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone's law court building.

A children's hospital in east Freetown. Construction was underway to expand women's health facilities nearby and meet the needs of the community. In one waiting room, about 25 young women waited their turn to be seen by a doctor.

Schoolgirls walk home after school. Although primary education is free in Sierra Leone, there are still expenses for books and uniforms that reduce accessibility for many children.

Hill Valley Hotel, the delegation's home for two weeks, is located in a residential area of Freetown.