There is a sense of disbelief in this Sierra Leonean village as people weep in front of the bodies of two teenage boys wrapped in white cloth. The day before, 16-year-old Mohamed Bangura and 17-year-old Yayah Jenneh left their homes in Nyimbadu, in the country's Eastern Province, hoping to earn a little extra money for their families. They had gone in search of gold but never returned. The makeshift pit they were digging in collapsed on them. This was the third fatal mine accident, leaving a total of at least five children dead, in the last four years in this region. Mohamed and Yayah were part of a phenomenon that has seen a growing number of children missing school in parts of Sierra Leone to mine the precious metal in potentially lethal pits. The Eastern Province has historically been known for diamond mining, but in recent years informal - or artisanal - gold mining has expanded as the diamond reserves have been depleted. Mining sites pop up wherever local people find deposits, in farmland, former graveyards, and along riverbeds. With few formal mining companies operating, these unregulated pits are often dangerously deep. Most families in Nyimbadu rely on small-scale farming and petty trading for a living, and job scarcity makes mining an attractive option despite its risks. Yayah's mother, Namina Jenneh, who had been relying on her young son to help provide for her other five children, reflects sorrowfully on her loss, acknowledging the dangers yet facing the harsh reality of poverty. Activists warn that without proper alternatives for income, child labor in mining will persist, complicating efforts to keep children in school amidst ongoing tragedies.
Tragedy Strikes as Two Teenagers Die in Sierra Leone Mine Collapse
Tragedy Strikes as Two Teenagers Die in Sierra Leone Mine Collapse
A heartbreaking incident in Sierra Leone's Eastern Province sees two teenagers lose their lives in a gold mining accident, highlighting the dangers of artisanal mining and its impact on children and families in impoverished communities.
In a tragic event in Nyimbadu, Sierra Leone, two teenage boys, Mohamed Bangura (16) and Yayah Jenneh (17), died in a mine collapse while searching for gold. This incident, which marks the third fatal accident in four years, underlines the rising trend of children abandoning education for risky artisanal mining in a region where job opportunities are scarce. Their families mourn the loss that signifies not only the death of young lives but also the diminishing prospects for the next generation.
