Ebrima Jallow was described by his father as a hardworking and dedicated young boy who was working towards ending the poverty cycle that engulfed the family.
The father says Ebrima was serious about his goal using education as a tool to effect the change. But that dream will never be realized again as the boy’s life was cut short by a thunder strike recently.
At 17, Ebrima was already contributing to the family’s daily survival through the sales of some wild fruits including ‘kabaa’, to fend for the family. His mother who was very pivotal as a key supporter of the family was earlier involved in a car accident where she sustained injuries.
“Ebrima used to help me a lot,” his father, Yassin Jallow says. “The day he took her sick mom to the hospital and came back, he told me he’s going to fetch kabaa that he can sell for the next day for fish money.
“He just reached within 30 minutes it started raining and while he was on top of the tree to cut the fruits, that’s when heavy thunder hit him on top of the tree and he died instantly.”
He was very serious with his education and even his teachers knew that of him. He used to tell me if I graduate from school and have a job, we would leave for the town but God took him away,” the father recollected his old conversation with his son.
The family lives at Sohm village in Foni, depending on petty trading to earn living. His Father who’s now old, and suffers from health complications could no longer provide for the family needs.
“We depend on selling firewood and kabaa. That’s where we earn our living. I can’t do hard labor anymore. My wife too, since her accident, she isn’t selling due to her injuries.
“I am calling for assistance from anyone who can help us. My children are young. They can’t do anything to help us out of this situation”.
Omar Faye is a reporter with Choice FM Radio and Freelancing for the Chronicle. He’s currently studying Journalism and Communication at the Media Academy for Journalism and Communication (MAJaC).
