Life in quarantine

Eleven year old Hindowa lives in southern Sierra Leone. After the death of a close family friend, he and his family were put into quarantine for almost an entire month.

A family friend visited Hindowa and his family just five days before the family friend had unknowingly contracted Ebola. He died shortly after his visit to Hindowa’s family home. Health workers were quick to make sure that nobody else in the community had also come down with the disease and authorities began quarantining anyone who’s had contact with the patient for 21 days. During this period, health practitioners watch for signs and symptoms to make sure no one else has contracted the deadly virus.

So when Hindowa’s father Andrew lost his closest friend, they knew the effects would extend beyond grief.

“When my friend contracted the disease, I was the first to be traced of all his friends. I was shocked and scared,” Andrew remembers vividly. “We were quarantined right from that point. I hadn’t stored up anything at home in readiness for those 21 days. But I understood the severe nature of the disease and was not annoyed. My entire family was under serious tension. My wife and children were all crying.”

Hindowa has grown to know a lot about Ebola since the outbreak began earlier this year.

“World Vision has been teaching our community to protect ourselves from Ebola” he says. “Even before the death of our family friend, I had learned not to touch people. I believe that is one thing that saved us from contracting the disease.”

“World Vision gave us food, chlorine and Dettol. The quarantine team also gave us some food. For the 21 days we were at home, we lacked nothing, but our freedom was seized. We had to obtain permission every time we went from the veranda to the back of the house.” says Hindowa. “Being at home for 21 days was not easy, but it was necessary. I have heard about the way this Ebola wipes out an entire family. To me, it was for our own good, though it stopped me from playing around my house.”

Before the death of Hindowa's friend, Ebola had already had a marked effect on his family and indeed the entire country.

“Ebola had done a lot of bad things to us before the quarantine process. Schools have been closed for some time now. I don’t touch or play with my friends anymore.”

Hindowa is currently waiting to start secondary school, but schools have been shut indefinitely since earlier this year. Hindowa had been prepping for his secondary school entrance exam when the exams were suddenly cancelled and schools shut.

Although the quarantine process was difficult, thanks to World Vision and the health workers, Hindawa and his family were well taken care of and they have all been cleared of the disease. Hindawa's family now have to adjust to a life where the temporary measures to limit contagion continue indefinitely. Trade has dried up across much of Sierra Leone. Hindawa’s father normally works as a schoolteacher, but with schools closed he is now out of work for the foreseeable future.

World Vision is working to combat Ebola in Sierra Leone through our Ebola Crisis Appeal.