In May 2007 on her return voyage to the United Kingdom at the end of the Antarctic Season, HMS ENDURANCE paid a visit to Sierra Leone. Despite the fact that the Ship was alongside for less than 48 hours, there was still opportunity for members of the Ship’s Company to help out in the local community. International D.O.V.E. (Development, Orphanages, Vocational and Education) is a Canadian based charity that in its first 5 years has helped over 100 children in Sierra Leone. Desperately in need of volunteer assistance to maintain and further their work, the Royal Navy has been assisting D.O.V.E. through the Civilian and Military Cooperation (CIMIC) scheme for several years.
The former British Colony of Sierra Leone is on the Atlantic Sea Board of Western Africa. Despite stability having been restored to the region with intervention of the UN after the coup in 1997, the country lacks the infrastructure to truly help itself back on its feet. Life expectancy is 43, among the lowest in the world, and the rate of infant mortality is 147 per 1000, one of the highest in the world. With only one doctor per 10,000 people and nearly 6 million people scrabbling for the country’s meagre food resources, abandoned children are commonplace. It is against this background that Judy Nelson runs her D.O.V.E. orphanage.
Having been forced to leave the country during the civil war, Judy and Phil Nelson returned to set up the orphanage on Leicester Hill, overlooking Freetown, in 1998. They currently have 26 orphans resident at their site, with all the facilities the children need (including a school), and provide support to 44 children in foster homes in the interior of the country. Their aspiration is to expand their capacity to allow as many of these children as possible to come to the ‘Village of Hope’ because many are currently not being educated.
The team from HMS ENDURANCE comprised 13 volunteers ranging from Engineering Technicians to members of the Logistics Department. After a very warm but brief welcome, it was clear that there was no time to waste and work began. The first group immediately set upon painting the recently constructed children’s bathroom block, painting from one end to the other, inside and out. The second team (ably led by CPO ET(ME) Jones) hiked up to the top of the compound and began clearing boulders out of the river gully. Flowing through the walled area of the orphanage, this river (and the integrity of its banks) is essential for irrigation, flood protection and, at its access and egress from the site, the structural safety of the security wall. After 2 hours of working in the blistering heat, the groups got together over an African lunch of barracuda and pumpkin stew to compare notes, blisters and paint spots. Another four hours saw the painting party powering along and the boulder party realising the enormity of their task. However, by the end of the day the painting was complete and a large part of the gully had been cleared. With the larger rocks having been moved, the river water had a safe route through the compound. All that remained was a presentation by the children, lead by their ‘House father’ Daniel, of a ‘hand-made’ flag decorated with each child’s hand print and their name expressing their thanks.
The excitement generated by the RN’s visit and the gratitude of the volunteer workers at International D.O.V.E made the visit thoroughly worthwhile. The day proved how valuable an organised unit of manpower can be. These tasks may seem routine to the military but are beyond the capability of overstretched charity organisations. HMS ENDURANCE has continued a valuable relationship. It was the second visit to this orphanage for Lt Lou Brimacombe RN: ‘Having visited in November 03 with HMS Glasgow, I’m lucky enough to see the steps forward this children’s home has taken, and to see the tangible impact of the RN’s contribution’. CIMIC ventures are vital to the survival of this sort of organisation and prove that the RN is at its best when it is helping people. The Ship’s Company of HMS ENDURANCE hope the RN remains on the International D.O.V.E. list of partners for years to come.
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