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In Sierra Leone, a transformative program is empowering individuals with limb loss by teaching them sustainable farming techniques. This initiative, launched by Mambud Samai, who transitioned from pastor to farmer, equips amputees with the skills necessary not only to cultivate their own food but also to establish small-scale commercial farms, thereby fostering greater independence and income opportunities.
The civil war in Sierra Leone, which lasted for eleven years, inflicted severe trauma on countless civilians, resulting in approximately 30,000 amputees nationwide. Many of these individuals have faced enormous challenges, including limited employment options and lack of state support, often resorting to begging to survive. Reflecting on this, Samai noted, “Historically, this community has been left with very little support from the state, few work opportunities, and very little dignity.” After spending two years living in a refugee camp in Guinea, Samai was motivated to create meaningful assistance for fellow amputees affected by the conflict.
Samai’s initial efforts focused on community-building through sports, founding the Single-Leg Amputee Sports Association in 2001. The association flourished, organizing leagues across Freetown and four provinces, providing opportunities for both men and women to participate. “We still run the association today, using the power of the beautiful game to help communities find hope,” Samai shared. Seeking to address deeper needs, he pursued specialized training in community development and organic farming at the Asian Rural Institute in Japan in 2018. Upon returning to Sierra Leone, he established Farming on Crutches, a program centered on hands-on learning at a working farm. Participants are brought from various parts of the country to live, work, and acquire sustainable farming knowledge, which they then apply and expand upon in their home communities.
Among the program’s success stories is Mustapha Bockarie, who lost an arm in the aftermath of the civil war and initially experienced social exclusion. He explained, “My friends said I was a burden to them, but this training makes people who see us as beggars come closer to us. We made a name for ourselves.” Now Bockarie manages a community farm where he raises goats, grows crops, and keeps bees, teaching others sustainable farming practices and earning a reliable income. Samai also highlighted a recent 2024 group that innovated an accessible wheelbarrow using locally sourced materials such as bicycle wheels, timber, and bamboo. Zainab Makieu, a member of this team, emphasized the significance of this creation: “The bamboo wheelbarrow is very important for us who are physically challenged. Because I wouldn’t say we are disabled: we all know disability is not inability. I see my other disabled brothers and sisters and feel comfortable when I’m here.” With over 100 graduates, Farming on Crutches has a growing waitlist and plans to expand its reach to other West African countries, aiming to enhance its curriculum to include skills such as beekeeping and producing value-added agricultural products.
Samai expressed immense satisfaction in witnessing the transformation of participants, stating, “I’ve been so delighted, and deeply rewarded, to see my own passion for sustainable farming be matched by the enthusiasm of our participants. At the very beginning they may know next to nothing about agriculture, but they complete our course and return to their local communities as change makers.”
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