Sierra Leone covers almost 28,000 square miles and has a 5m population. The recent history has been dominated by a brutal ten-year civil war which lasted until 2002.
During this time more than 20,000 people were killed, thousands injured and an estimated two million people were displaced.
Women and children were particularly targeted and subjected to horrendous sex crimes. It is estimated that a third of the female population were raped and many children were forced to become soldiers.
Today Malaria and AIDS are widespread and female circumcision takes place in rural communities.
Kambia District is one of the poorest areas, 195km north of the capital Freetown and just 8 km from the boarder with Guinea. The road system is poor and the area still devastated by the conflict. Streets are lined with dusty, bullet-ridden homes and dilapidated NGO signs.
Often poor families can afford to send only boys to school, much of the population are illiterate and life expectancy alarmingly short.
Despite this, the women are resilient and cheerful. The ravages of the Civil war, although still evident, are contrasted by a peaceful and welcoming community.- <