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UNHCR pumps aid where drinking water is rarer than diamonds
25 Aug 2004 Kono district in eastern Sierra Leone is rich in diamonds but poor in clean water supply. UNHCR and partners Peace Wind Japan and World Vision International are working to change that by constructing pump wells in the war-devastated returnee area. -
UNHCR donates ambulance to help recovery of Sierra Leonean town
10 Aug 2004 The $35,000 vehicle offers a shot in the arm for medical care in the north-western town of Kambia, where sick villagers had previously been carried to the hospital on stretchers or motorcycles, often dying before they could get emergency aid. -
New buildings cement school ties among refugees in Sierra Leone
5 Aug 2004 A German television station has helped to fund school buildings for refugees in Sierra Leone's eight camps. When the school term starts in September, children in the camps and host communities will be able to attend classes in proper buildings instead of shelters made of plastic sheeting. -
A Sierra Leonean family comes home
26 Jul 2004 UNHCR followed Ambulai Lumeh and his family as they ended 12 years of exile in Liberia, returning on the last UNHCR convoy to Sierra Leone last week. There were tears and smiles as they arrived back in the village they had left as newly weds - with four children in tow and new challenges ahead. -
UNHCR's Sierra Leone repatriation draws to end
21 Jul 2004 -
Last convoys leave for Sierra Leone as assisted repatriation ends
21 Jul 2004 The last convoys back to Sierra Leone left neighbouring Liberia and Guinea today, ending a huge UNHCR operation that has helped some 178,000 Sierra Leonean refugees to go home. -
Refugee band launches debut album in Freetown
11 Jun 2004 Discovered while in exile in Guinea, the Refugee All Stars band has gone back to Sierra Leone to launch its debut album, "Livin' Like a Refugee". All but one of the band members have returned home to restart their lives. -
A rough but happy journey home for Sierra Leonean refugees
7 Jun 2004 The journey from Guinea to Sierra Leone is rough, but returnees are keen to get home before UNHCR's organised repatriation programme finishes on 30 June. Over 10,000 refugees have now returned since repatriation from Guinea began in late January this year. Community schemes are underway to help them reintegrate. -
Returns to Sierra Leone step up before June 30 deadline
1 Jun 2004 More than 1,500 Sierra Leonean refugees have returned home from Liberia in recent days, ahead of UNHCR's plan to phase out assistance at the end of this month.