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Since returning from Sierra Leone in June this year it's been hard to miss the countries frequent appearance in 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 WHO in its latest report highlights 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 there have been over 1,281 deaths so far. It's with a degree of disbelief that I've watched this unfolding tragedy. 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 (brilliant 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. 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