Temple Run Not a Pathway to Success

 

By Theresa Thomas

Every citizen in Sierra Leone with the requisite qualification has a right to seek employment and work. Unfortunately, jobs are few are far between, even the government realizes that job creation is a huge problem, with its youthful population mostly unemployed.

Over the years there has been a lot of complaints from various women and youth groups about governments inability to create job opportunity for its women and youths. This issue has been worsened by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The few employed young people are losing their jobs as businesses continue to downsize staff due to low sales.

This desperate attempt to seek greener pasture has led to an increase in irregular migration which many Sierra Leoneans have termed ‘Temple Run’. The journey across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe has left many Africans dead.

Mabinty Kamara has attempted the dangerous journey. Sharing her experience, she said the process is frustrating and full of challenges. Some of the challenges she highlighted include language barriers, infringement on human rights, torture, and exploitation.

Mabinty was a volunteer nurse at 34 Military Hospital in Wilberforce, Freetown, and was part of the Female Surgical Department. She noted that she tried tirelessly to get a pin code so she could receive a salary to take care of herself and her family, but, she did not succeed. It was on this basis she decided to try ‘Temple Run' which she saw as a pathway to success. She encouraged those who intend to attempt the journey to instead look for other profitable legal alternatives

Other people who have attempted the illegal pathway to Europe have reported paying huge sums of money for them to travel, even with their lives at stake. Upon arrival in these countries, their passports are usually confiscated, ladies are introduced to prostitution and some are brutally manhandled by citizens of the host country

The Ministry of labor is charged with the responsibility of regulating legal job migrants. Chiblee Francis Kamara is the ministries Acting Deputy Commissioner of Labor. He said their role is to ensure the creation of job opportunities for thousands of citizens in Sierra Leone.

He revealed that the ministry coordinates several programes where women and men can seek overseas employment. An example he said is the recruitment of women as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia and other countries after the lifting of the temporal ban on traveling.

He stated that some of the criteria needed for these women to travel include the ability to read and write, test negative for HIV and AIDS, Pregnancy, Syphilis, and other diseases. He added that having completed all the processes successfully these women will leave in batches legally and their stay will be monitored by the government of Sierra Leone.

He strongly discouraged illegal migration (temple run) and encouraged women and youths to seek legal opportunities as and when they are available.

This story was put together with support from Journalists for Human Right (JHR) and the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) Human Rights Fellowship.