The country has 580 kilometres of coastline composed mostly of mangroves, and has a long history in textile arts and quilting.
A neighbouring country has a tropical climate with a diverse environment ranging from savannah to rain forests.
Another country in the region is the 2nd largest producer of movies in the world and has played a dominant role in the development of several genres of music.
But these aren't the first descriptors when thinking of these countries. Several other things come to mind initially when thinking about Liberia, Sierra Leone or Nigeria: poverty, corruption, human rights violations and nowEbola.
If someone wasn't very familiar with these countries before, the constant news coverage means most should now be able to find them on a map or share some details about these or other places in the region. But what do we know?
We have followed the stories of kidnapped school girls, children conscripted into military service, corrupt leaders, unstable regimes, civil wars, wounded civilians, and countless orphans due to war and disease. Now the images fresh in our minds are medical personnel in protective gear providing care in makeshift hospitals or of workers removing the bodies of those who have died due to Ebola.
The faces of the children who have lost one or both parents are heart-wrenching, and as long as resources need to be directed to fight the virus, who is going to be there to help the survivors in what was already a difficult situation for many? Thousands of children have been orphaned and people are reluctant to take them in for fear of contracting the virus. These children are destitute and alone.
The response by the rest of us toward the pain and suffering in West Africa has been ratherlacklustre. Unlike other catastrophes that have mobilized huge efforts to help those affected by hurricanes, earthquakes or tsunamis, we don't seem to be taking up the challenge in the same way to help those affected by the outbreak of Ebola.
Speculation mountsare there not enough victims? Not the same visual impact as natural disasters? Are we experiencing 'relief fatigue'?
An article in this newspaper on October 15 tells us that Saskatchewan Credit Unions are accepting cash donations to support the work of the Red Cross in West Africa. The money will be used for clinical care and treatment of patients, prevention efforts, and community-based education and outreach. Other agencies are on the ground as well providing care, equipment and supplies not just for those directly impacted by the virus, but for those who are from neighbourhoods, towns, regions and countries that were already facing challenges and now find themselves battling this outbreak and all the ramifications it means to travel, tourism, trade, medical resources and individual livelihoods.
As we consider our response we need to keep in mind these countries are more than geography, more than politics, more than industryand certainly more than a virus. These countries are filled with citizens who are no different than you and I. They love. They grieve. They hope. They dream. They want the best for their children. They and their families deserve respect in life, and dignity in death.
As criticisms swirl and fingers are pointed at who did or didn't do what to prevent, treat or contain the virus, at the heart of what is going on is the personal tragedy of children losing parents, brothers losing sisters, sisters losing brothers and friends burying friends. There will be a time for review and analysis so that lessons can be gleaned and information shared but what is needed now by medical personnel, relief organizations, families and individuals is not censurebut support. That's my outlook.
