TORONTO, October 20, 2003 -- Two women who experienced the horror of the Sierra Leone civil war first hand will give a talk at York University, Picking Up The Pieces: Women Healing The Wounds Of War, Tuesday, October 21, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Theresa Benjamin is a primary health care professional from Sierra Leone who works at the village level on immunization programs, training midwives, and providing assistance to refugees in camps. During the rebel invasion, Benjamin herself became a refugee, spending six weeks in the jungle escaping from rebel forces until arriving at a refugee camp in neighbouring Guinea. She will talk about her first hand experiences of being in the midst of a civil war, and the demanding work of meeting the needs of women and children in post-war Sierra Leone.
Gertrude Vakaba is an 18 year old who will be presenting a youth perspective on peace and reconciliation in Sierra Leone.
The talk is presented by York’s Centre for Refugee Studies, the Centre for Feminist Research and the African Studies Program.
Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Time: 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Location: 305 York Lanes, York University, 4700 Keele St.
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For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
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Nancy White |
Ken Turriff |
YU/111/03
