Blood Diamond: When the Past Speaks, the Future Listens
Blood Diamond - Panlap - Markine, Sierra Leone
There are places where pain still whispers through the wind.
Where stories have gone untold for far too long.
Where children became survivors before they could even dream of childhood.
One of those places is the Amputee and War-Wounded Camp in Panlap, Makeni, Sierra Leone.
Here, the scars left by the 1991–2002 Blood Diamond Civil War are not just memories; they are lived realities. Mothers walk on crutches. Fathers still ache from wounds they received as boys. Children grow up hearing stories of terror, never knowing the full truth, only feeling the silence it left behind.
But something powerful is rising from that silence.
A Voice for the Voiceless
The Blood Diamond Project is one of Young Voices of Africa’s most powerful projects, a youth-led documentary and theatre project that amplifies the voices of those whose suffering has been overlooked for decades. This project isn't about narrating stories for the survivors. It’s about empowering them to tell their stories themselves using their own words, tears, and strength.
Led by YVA President and CEO Kelvin Akpaloo, alongside Vice-President Alhassan Kallon, President of the female forum Fatima Ismail, and a team of dedicated YVA Ambassadors in Sierra Leone and Ireland, the Blood Diamond Project brings together survivors and youth to break the silence and build understanding, action, and hope.
Why This Story Matters
In the camp, many have lived in isolation and suffering, with little support and almost no platform to share their truths. But when we sat with them and simply asked, “What do you need most?”, their answer wasn’t money.
It was skills, opportunity, and a chance to be heard.
They told us, “We don’t need money. We need to be empowered. We want to learn, to work, to be independent.”
That’s what makes this project different. It’s not charity. It’s a partnership. It’s dignity.
From Sierra Leone to Ireland: An African Story Shared Across Oceans
The strength of this project doesn’t stop at the camp. Thanks to our international collaboration with Creativity & Change in Ireland, funded by Irish Aid, and supported by our diaspora ambassadors, the Blood Diamond story has travelled across borders.
Young people in Ireland, moved by the courage of their African peers, turned these real stories into a powerful theatre performance. Their show, created with the voices and guidance of survivors in Sierra Leone, was presented on Africa Day in Ireland, a celebration of culture, pride, and identity.
In that performance, stories of war became tools for peace. Suffering became the seed of healing. And the youth of Africa and Europe stood hand-in-hand to demand a better world.
A Project of Resilience, Not Pity
This is not a sad story. It is a strong one.
The women who once had their limbs taken from them are now standing tall, speaking loudly, and sharing their truth to empower others. The young people who once felt helpless are now leading change, not just in their communities, but on a global stage.
Through vocational training, creative storytelling, and community dialogue, we are helping transform pain into power. Survivors are learning to farm, make soap, produce gari, and tell their stories through film, theatre, and voice.
They are not broken. They are rising.
Why We Do This
At Young Voices of Africa, we believe every young person deserves to be seen, heard, and supported. We believe in action that uplifts. In stories that unite. In Africa, that is strong, beautiful, and full of light.
The Blood Diamond Project is not just a documentary. It’s not just a performance. It’s a movement to remember, to restore, and to rewrite the future.
How You Can Support
We don’t need pity.
We need listeners.
We need partners.
We need people who care.
You can support by:
Spreading the word about this project
Joining us online and offline for events
Sharing survivor stories
Supporting skills training and creative programs for our communities
Every voice matters. And every share, every conversation, and every act of kindness adds strength to this movement.
In Their Words
“This story must be told. If we don’t tell it, who will?”
— Survivors at the Panlap Amputee Camp
We invite you to be part of this powerful journey. Let’s raise our voices together for truth, for healing, for Africa.
#BloodDiamondProject
#YoungVoicesOfAfrica
#AfricaRising
