SENAVA: What may become of me? shows us an African nation confronting compounding issues brought about by poverty and the disastrous effect of climate change. The film is being produced by local filmmakers at the Freetown Media Center and chronicles the events of a tragic mudslide on August 14th, 2017 that took the lives of more than 1,000 Sierra Leoneans. The documentary also shows us a unique and inspiring brand of African environmentalism that may bring about a much needed change
It is estimated that more than 1,000 were killed in a tragic mudslide that occurred on August 14th in sierra Leone. These numbers include those killed in mudslides and fatalities from flash floods in other areas of the city. More than 20,000 people have also been displaced by the mudslides and the country is now preparing to battle cholera and malaria in the wake of one of the deadliest natural disasters to hit Africa in recent years.
Our goal is to educate both the general population and government about the need for sensible urban planning and a respect for our environment. Informal settlements crowd the shorelines and have moved up into the steep hillsides that surround our capital city, Freetown Sierra Leone. Hillsides have also been heavily deforested setting the stage for the tragic event that occurred. It is time for a new African Environmentalism and national pride to develop so that we learn to take care of our land.
We look at this as an opportunity to engage a wide variety of audiences in a more nuanced and important conversation about the state of systems in the developing world to cope with severe weather events and the public health concerns that follow. We hope to interest Health, Climate Science, and Humanitarian Aid Professionals in the US and abroad in addition to future leaders studying African Studies, Anthropology, Medical Humanities, Social Psychology, and Epidemiology.
