Learning through experiencing: Day 1 for the TCS delegation

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First full fledged work day in Sierra Leone and what a day! It's one thing to learn in a course and to know you're doing a field experience, but to see what your professor is all about, to literally see them walking the walk and talking the talk is something else. All of the PhD Delegates from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP), the USA's oldest Psychology School, stopped in awe and admiration to wonder at the school that their delegation leader Dr. Nancy Peddle had built in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The Dele-Peddle School some 12 kilometres away from the centre of Freetown is nothing short of splendid. Delegates commented on being completely taken aback by the shape in which the school is in. Modern, spruced up with caring and diligent teachers, switched on children which has them seeing them ranked as some of the best in Freetown, Sierra Leone, one could not help but marvel at the delicate balance of a Western influence (e.g. the child welfare centre) juxtaposed with indigenous culture prevalent everywhere. As the delegates watched content parents pick their children up from school, we knew we were witnessing the flourishing of a seed planted a long time ago. 

The PhD delegation from The Chicago School is here to build capacity and to learn more about Sierra Leone. There are specific groups on forgiveness, trauma, female genital cutting (FGC) and education etc. Deseree Howlett, PhD Candidate from TCSPP is working in the FGC group and spoke briefly about how meeting Minister Moijueh Kaikai, Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children's Affairs and Pastor Peter Kainwo changed her perspective on crucial aspects of the issue. By combining local and global thinking, a truly humanitarian partnership, Howlett was able to understand how to best proceed with the 'Children of Influence' Club her group is starting. Knowing the position of the government, of UNESCO (officials which TCS students met with through LemonAidFund) and of the pastor's on ground experience, Howlett along with her group was able to tweak the consultancy strategy for best practise in Sierra Leone. Howlett sounded completely  charged up with the new knowledge and though mindful of the fact that progress might be slow, she was positive about the impact taking place slowly but surely.

All the students, both of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and the Dele-Peddle School were floored by the library that Ms. Vicki Browne single handedly organised from the United States. Drawing on part from friends and part on ingenuity, Brown collected 20,000 pounds of books and had the shipped to Sierra Leone in a sea container. The library is nothing short of inspiring and it was evident the respect of the students who wanted to get a glimpse of 'Aunty Victoria', the lady whom the library in which they diligently study is named after. Speaking to Brown and walking around, many of the delegates were touched by the personal connections they had to text books they use in their own work with colleagues in the USA or grew up with e.g. The World Book Encyclopedia Set.

Later, the TCS students met with various Sierra Leonian groups in the capacity of International Psychology consultants in order to facilitate ground breaking presentations and recommendations to be delivered in the near future.