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Since returning from Sierra Leone in June this year it's been hard to miss the countries frequent appearance in international news headlines. Even the town I lived in Makeni featured in this New York Times article http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2014/10/01/world/africa/20141002-SIERRA-nytnow.html?ref=africa&_r=0#3. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in its latest report highlighted that the number of cases in the Ebola outbreak has exceeded 10,000, with 4,922 deaths. Only 27 of the cases have occurred outside the three worst-hit countries in West Africa; Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Within Sierra Leone so far there have been 1,281 deaths. It's with a degree of disbelief that I've watched the unfolding tragedy of Ebola. Behind the figures lies an infrastructure unable to cope with the human cost of this tragedy. Based on correlated data from WHO & UNICEF, Street Child are projecting a minimum of 10,000 children orphaned by Ebola before Christmas and is urging action from donors to prevent further catastrophe for these children. For October I've gone sober and coffee free (it's been a nightmare, don't try it) and instead of donating money to Macmillan (great charity) have this year decided to see if I can raise money for Street Child's Ebola Crisis Appeal. This far I've managed almost a month of a new job without my morning cup of coffee. But It's the last week & I'm battling the will to survive - If you can spare 1, 5 or 10 all the money raised will go to a very worthy cause, very much in my mind and all those fortunate enough to have spent time in Sierra Leone. Just as the national anthem echoes may 'blessing and peace, be ever thine own, land that we love. our Sierra Leone". Lets hope it returns soon. Thank you, Anna http://www.street-child.co.uk/ebola-crisis-update/ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/ebola/11171614/Thousands-of-children-orphaned-by-Ebola-outbreak.html