Another hot New York summer was soon due for arrival. Sunset shone blinding orange upon busy cosmopolitan cafes. It was a beautiful picture, but nothing was different from last summer. Erin decided she could not spend another repetitive summer at home, so she followed her dream to Africa .

Erin Threlfall, 31, New York, set of to accomplish her life time dream visit to Africa by spending her summer volunteering in a Liberian refugee camp based in Accra, Ghana. “I wanted a deeper understanding of what it is like to live in an African country. I was interested in doing this in such a way in which I contributed rather than exploited the community which I lived in”, said Erin.

Working as a volunteer
It was 04:30am, the standard alarm was replaced with the sound of roosters crowing accompanied by the wise words of the preacher echoing through the loudspeaker, the camp had arisen. A typical day was spent playing and teaching the children, hanging out in camp, and embracing the sights and sounds of her temporary home for the next 2 months.

“Happy, sad and shocking moments came in by the hour. One moment you could be laughing harder than you ever have to be interrupted by the sounds of a mother morning at the loss of a loved one”, said Erin. Sad days were complimented by the happy moments at camp as Erin was moved watching communities pull together taking care of one another. Children carried out games in their poverty playground ignorant, innocent, and happy with what they had. Erin spent a lot of her time working with the children teaching English and Arts. “I was thrilled when a student showed progress and had the ‘aha’ moment of learning”, said Erin.

Issues in the camp
Chaotic days came to an end relaxing with the other international volunteers who were working in the camp. From having deep political conversations to sitting outside camp naming the star, Erin made many friends on her adventure. Spending time with people from across the world and most of all living and working with the other Liberians increased her awareness of some of the sealed issues people at camp endured.

“What I found to be the most shocking was the high volume of prostitution that goes on at camp. Young girls start to be trained as early as 10 and are peddled around camp until about 12/13, and then they are taken to Accra to be offered up to the rich white people”, explains Erin. As prostitution is a problem which is acknowledged in a lot of Asian countries especially, Erin discovered a lot of people are suffering in the dark with no voice, no help and no acknowledgement.

Just her presence living at the camp and spending time began to make a lasting impact on those around her. “I was told by many people that it made them feel as if they have not been forgotten and that they mattered”, said Erin.