My name is Sadia Sisay of Sierra Leonean heritage living in the UK.
As you have probably heard Ebola is threatening Sierra Leone and seems as if it will affect it for the foreseeable future. All I am, is one person who has been fortunate over the years to live in the UK and to have a life with my family that a huge percentage from where my heritage lies would never even imagine.
I have been following the Ebola threat and know that so many are calling out for help including the organisations that are putting their staff on the front line. Sometimes the call out for help needs the help of people who can get the attention of many without the need to lose breath, hence I am writing to you. Many of the people affected are women. The restrictions caused by the disease have devastated small businesses that depend on the free movement of crowds to maintain a turnover.
Next week there is a three-day lockdown in an effort to contain the disease, which means even more strain on such businesses. Schools are closed. Girls are not being educated. Female health care is suffering as NGOs who support such activities have scaled down. This disease is going to hamper the progress of women in Sierra Leone in so many ways.
A main way to reduce the short and long term effects on women is for a rapid deployment medical staff on a large scale to be sent in to work with organisations such as the MSF who are on the front line.
Your organisation has the influence and attention of many and may need less words and time. I am writing to you, not from a place of power, influence or money but from my heart as I know every hour lost means the lives of many.
I am asking for you to lend your voice in anyway you can to get the UK government to deploy a larger scale effort to Sierra Leone.