By: Augusta Osmatu Bangura ‎Meet Mathilda Conteh, a 45-year-old market trader at Kroo Town Road Market in Freetown. She’s known for her quick hands, generous smile, and selling cassava and potato leaves, a trade she’s carried on since she was 12. ‎ ‎But before her story, consider this: ‎For many, the rainy season is cozy. It’s warm blankets, the soothing rhythm of raindrops on rooftops, the perfect excuse to rest indoors. ‎ ‎Now, come to Mathilda’s world. ‎For her and countl

By: Augusta Osmatu Bangura She was born in innocence, believing she would be the master of her own life. Little did she know her path had already been carved by tradition. From the moment her tiny hands could grab tin cups for “play cook,” her parents—rather than handing her a pencil to write—offered her something they thought was better: an abackor to cook. When her innocent body began to change—breasts like calabash, hips swelling like cherries—they declared she was n

By: Augusta Osmatu Bangura She met someone she believed was the love of her life. They had dreams—not of riches, but of togetherness. To raise children, to walk through life’s hurdles side by side, to love each other through it all. They didn’t have much, but they had each other—and that was everything. With time, their love blossomed into a growing family. She was proud to raise their children in a home full of warmth and care, where both parents showed what it meant to love

By: Augusta Osmatu Bangura African Child's Day. What is it exactly and why do we celebrate it? June 16 marks the day of the African child. It's a day set aside to honor the brave students of the 1976 Soweto Uprising in South Africa. Those events were captured in the musical Sarafina, which has become essential viewing every Day of the African Child. The saying, "wait till you're older" didn't apply to them. Bravery comes in different age and size. The story reflects the cour