Written By: MIM!—Photographer Sophia Spring's ‘‘Sweet Salone’’ project is a series of portraits of Sierra Leoneans today. She says about the project: ‘‘It is a project that aims to give a small insight into the lives of some of the individuals that make up this vibrant country. For too long Sierra Leoneans have been depicted in a less than positive light. It is time that this outdated portrayal is finally discarded.’’ Her photograph above tells the story of Abubakar Kamara (19):Abubakar was only 8 years old when he watched his father and grandmother being murdered by rebel troops. On that day his left leg was also amputated, in what can only be described as an act of senseless cruelty. Today, at the age of 20, he is surprisingly nonchalant about the horrors that he faced at such an early age. Perhaps this is because his story is not unique in a country that saw thousands of men, women and children brutally dismembered during the violence of their decade long civil war. Abubakar actively shuns sympathy, and feels that his disability should not hinder his future chances of success. As a member of Sierra Leone’s amputee football team he’s already accomplished a great deal, and is something of a local hero in this football mad country.
To see the full set of photos and stories from ‘‘Sweet Salone’’ visit, Sweet Salone: Portraits From Contemporary Sierra Leone and to see more of Sohpia's work, visit: www.SophiaSpring.com.
(Photo Credits: © Sophia Spring)
