Forecariah, Guinea (June, 2015) - Alseny Toure cries as he looks at a photograph of his wife for the first time since her death from Ebola in Janaury. Toure lost 15 members of his family including sisters, both of his parents, his wife, and nieces. He is now helping take care of 9 orphans - children of his family members who passed away.
Banankoro, Guinea (May 24) - Fatoumata Camara (seated) and three of her children - all Ebola survivors. Fatoumata is the wife of a local Imam in Banankoro, Guinea - El Hadj Moussa Sanoh. Their family was hit hard by the virus. Three of the imam's four wives, three of their children and one grandchild died from Ebola in October and November last year. The imam also lost a brother and the brother's two wives to the virus, so he took in the brother's 11 children. He and his wife now take care of 27 children in total - including their own children, nieces and nephews and two grandchildren. They used to live off the produce they farmed, but when much of the family fell ill, they were unable to keep the field in good shape, and now it lays dormant. Save the Children provides support for the family - school kits and clothing - and they recently reissued birth certificates for many of the children, after their belongings had to be burned in case of Ebola contamination after family members fell ill.
Kounkan, Guinea - A boy runs under a blooming mango tree in Kounkan, Guinea. Schools restarted in Guinea in January after being shut for more than six months for the Ebola outbreak.
Liberia (June 2015) - Amelia is a gospel singer and Ebola survivor living in Bomi County, Liberia. Before Ebola, she used to sell CDs of her songs at local churches on Sundays. But when she got sick and was admitted to the Ebola Treatment Center, they burned all of her belongings she had on her to avoid contaminating other people. This included burning the only copy of her gospel songs she would put on CDs and sell. Now she is supported by a WFP Mobile Money programme, but she ultimately wants to go back to the studio to record new copies of her gospel songs so she can return to selling her music to local churches.
Forecariah, Guinea (June 2015) – Ebola survivor Hamidou Syrra was a farmer before he caught the virus. His fields went untended during the outbreak and now he says he and his family are having food shortage issues.
Banankoro, Guinea (May 24) - Ousmane Traore, 6 years old, holds up a new birth certificate after his old one was burned, along with much of his other belongings, because it may have been contaminated by Ebola. The children of a local Imam, El Hadj Moussa Sanoh, are pictured behind Ousmane at their home in Banankoro, Guinea, with neighbor children who were also effected by Ebola. Save the Children provides support for the families - school kits and clothing - and they recently reissued birth certificates for many of the children, after their belongings had to be burned in case of Ebola contamination after family members fell ill.
Zessou, Guinea (May 20) - Soua Dore, is an 8 year old in Zessou, Guinea whose parents both died of Ebola in December, 2014. Soua was severly malnourished after her parents' deaths. Save the Children stepped in and helped with medical assistance, though her uncle was reluctant to accept outside help, as rumors in the village still persisted around Ebola. Even after he allowed Soua to be taken to a healthcare centre, his neighbors accused him of selling Soua to foreigners. Today she lives with her uncle and aunt and cousins, and Save the Children provides medical, food and clothing assistance.
Zessou, Guinea (May 20) - Soua Dore, is an 8 year old in Zessou, Guinea whose parents both died of Ebola in December, 2014. Here she sits in the doorway of her home where she used to live with her parents. She was found behind this house after they died, and Soua was severly malnourished. Save the Children stepped in and helped with medical assistance, though her uncle was reluctant to accept outside help, as rumors in the village still persisted around Ebola. Even after he allowed Soua to be taken to a healthcare centre, his neighbors accused him of selling Soua to foreigners. Today she lives with her uncle and aunt and cousins, and Save the Children provides medical, food and clothing assistance.
Kounkan, Guinea (May 21) -These children from the Kourouma family all lost their parents to Ebola and now live with their aunt and uncle in Kounkan. Three children in the family also died from Ebola. Daouda Sanoh and his wife Makan Kourouma have taken in their five surviving nieces and nephews. Four of the five are pictured here. The young boy in front, Lansana Kourouma, is around five years old. Lansana lost his parents and baby brother to Ebola. The aunt and uncle haven't told Lansana that his parents are deceased, but they know they need to soon. Lansana's sister has terrible nightmares, and screams out for her mother in the night. The uncle took her to a local health center, but they said it was beyond their capacity to help her, and they suggested he take her to a local marabout, or religious leader who practices traditional medicine. The marabout offered to cure her for 300.000 Guinea francs (41 USD). At the time of this photo, the girl was at the marabout being treated. In total, Daouda's family has since taken in the two brothers' 5 remaining children, in addition to the 8 children of their own. Save helps provide the children with school clothing kits, but it is hard for the family to afford enough food and clothing for every child. Daouda originally came to this area of Guinea while fleeing the war in Sierra Leone.
Kounkan, Guinea (May 21) - Mory and Karamo Bamba stand with their grandmother, Fatimata Traore. They and their two brothers lost both their parents to Ebola. Now their 86 year old grandmother looks after them. Save the Children helps them with school supplies and clothing.
Daro, Guinea (May 22) - Massou Cherif, holds her little brother, whom she is now helping raise along with nine other brothers and sisters after her father and mother passed away from Ebola in early 2015. The 11 children live with Massou's father's second wife, Mateving. Massou's father had rice fields they cultivated before his death. Afterward, Mateving did not have the money to clear the fields and so now she must work on other people's farms to make a small amount of money each day. The family only has enough money for one meal a day. One of the oldest daughters, Massou had to leave school to help Mateving raise her brothers and sisters. Before leaving school, Massou wanted to study to become a doctor she said. Save the Children provides support to the family.
Macenta, Guinea (May 23) - Children walk to school on a Saturday in Macenta, Guinea.
Banankoro, Guinea (May 24) - Many children in Banankoro lost one or both parents to the Ebola virus. Each child pictured here lost either one or both during the epidemic. Save the Children helps the children by providing school kits, and they also recently reissued birth certificates for many of the children in the area, after their belongings had to be burned in case of Ebola contamination after family members fell ill.
Banankoro, Guinea (May 24) - Fanta Traore, 12, lost both her parents and her only sibling to Ebola. She is one of many children in Banankoro, Guinea who lost one or both parents to the Ebola virus.Save the Children helps the children by providing school kits, and they also recently reissued birth certificates for many of the children in the area, after their belongings had to be burned in case of Ebola contamination after family members fell ill.
Lafayette Vinton, 34, has been a preacher at Christ Liberation Ministry in Monrovia for more than a decade. Since surviving Ebola this past August, his sermons have taken on a new message – and importance. He preaches not only about the Bible, but also how to prevent Ebola. Lafayette lost his wife and one of their daughters to the virus.