On an eventful morning, Aminata and her friends made their way to the gravestones, cleaning away years of neglect and filth. What she started as a simple idea soon became a movement of care and respect for those who have departed this world.
Aminata Kabba is a Sierra Leonean student who decided to give back to her community by organizing a cemetery cleaning.
According to Aminata, her inspiration was born out of a TikTok video done by a group of Ghanaian Muslims who also organized the same activity.
“I decided to share the video online, and a group of Sierra Leoneans found it inspiring, and we decided to do the same,” Aminata told The African Dream in an interview.
Motivated by the positive reviews she got from her peers, Aminata embarked on creating a WhatsApp forum to collectively prepare with interested volunteers.
“The reaction from them was very positive and thoughtful. A lot of people illustrated keen interest in making it a success,” Aminata continued.
Aminata believes this initiative is in line with Africa’s tradition of honoring the dead. Although it was an unconventional activity, she dubbed the initiative crucial in maintaining the dignity of the dead.
Nevertheless, she faced a few challenges. “The energy from people was positive, but trying to collectively collaborate was very hard as the majority were students who had their own respective schedules,” she explained.
As a Muslim, Aminata explained that the initiative not only influenced the religious aspect of her life but also her personal life.
“As someone who will someday leave this world and have lost lots of family members and friends, embarking on the cemetery cleaning was an emotional and spiritual process.”
The community members who were present at the time of the cleaning were very appreciative of the work. It also exhibited how young people can garner a sense of responsibility and obligation in preserving the community.
Aminata Kabba also admitted that cleaning the cemetery made her realize how treasured and important the afterlife is.
Aminata ended by saying that the cemetery cleaning initiative shall continue every year.
“My hope is to have more young people in the initiative so it can be collectively planned and executed,” she concluded with a smile.
