From Cry Freetown to Sing Freetown

Salone man get badat (Sierra Leoneans are envious) is not just a national catchphrase, its a widely held Sierra Leonean belief. The expression "Salone man get badat" has been used in presidential speeches and popular culture. President Kabbah once said it in a now-famous speech. Emmerson Bockarie, a Sierra Leonean Afropop singer, made a song about it. Badat is on everyone's lips, it's on their minds, and it is the root of all evil. Make Sierra Leone Famous explores the root of this self-deprecating national catchphrase and negative belief through a spiritual and mental health lens. If Sierra Leoneans are envious, how can they unlearn or control it? Special Guests: Dr. Ramadan Jalloh and Jesse Lamboi

In Sierra Leone, just two out of every ten women is uncircumcised. These women, the minority are labelled "gborka" and deemed "unclean" or "not woman enough". Make Sierra Leone Famous places the sex lives of uncut women in focus to discuss the power of pleasure, women's liberation, and orgasm equality. Special Guests: Umu Jalloh, MSW, and Leanne MaHota Rizk, MPH (Sexual and Reproductive Health Specialist).

Drug addiction and mental health in Sierra Leone in focus on episode one to an all-new season of the Make Sierra Leone Famous Podcast! Vickie Remoe interviews with Mahawa Sandy, founder of Nyali Foundation and Dr. Elizabeth Alieu resident psychiatrist in charge of the child and adolescent mental health at the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital. Sierra Leone’s youth are struggling with drug addiction and dependency. Vickie and guests discuss the root causes and and solutions for tackling the drug crisis.

Host Vickie Remoe is in conversation with two of Sierra Leone’s most celebrated storytellers; award-winning playwright and founder of Freetong Players Charlie Haffner, and Emmy, BAFTA, and Peabody-winning journalist Sorious Samura. Show Notes Listen to Doniie Major’s Freetown City: https://bit.ly/3PaVtHB Ship to Sierra Leone from the USA with Dot Bleu Find your next outfit at The Doll House Boutique To make Sierra Leone better for women and girls in Salone better support the Asmaa James Foundation https://bit.ly/3ybDLz5

Host Vickie Remoe is in conversation with actress, producer, and founder of Lema’s Diary Production Company. The film producer uses her craft to make social commentary about issues affecting Sierra Leone’s women. Her latest film “Profit Point” set in the slums of Freetown is about the struggles of women trapped by poverty and sexual exploitation. Profit Point had its London Premiere at the Young Sierra Leonean Kip Kompin Cinema. Show Notes Listen to Kaley Bag’s Di Sai Wae Ar Komot: https://spoti.fi/3oL72KW Ship to Sierra Leone from the USA with Dot Bleu Find your next outfit at The Doll House Boutique To make Sierra Leone better for women and girls in Salone better support the Asmaa James Foundation https://bit.ly/3ybDLz5

Host Vickie Remoe is in conversation with Sierra Leonean poet, playwright, and author Oumar Farouk Sesay, Oumar talks and shares insights from his four-decade-long career as a writer and creative. His latest play “The Throne” challenges audiences to question their beliefs on identity, homosexuality, and tradition. Show Notes Listen to Daddy Saj’s Che Che: https://bit.ly/3Bc2xQY Follow the Mane Chronicles: https://bit.ly/3Rq6AyV Ship to Sierra Leone from the USA with Dot Bleu Find your next outfit at The Doll House Boutique To make Sierra Leone better for women and girls in Salone better support the Asmaa James Foundation https://bit.ly/3ybDLz5

Host Vickie Remoe is in conversation with Tarah Majeek, Entrepreneur and founder of self-care and wellness brand “Mane Chronicles''. They discuss branding, startups, and tips to transform a hobby into an enterprise. Show Notes Listen to TMA’s No Sense: https://spoti.fi/3c94S4t Follow the Mane Chronicles: https://bit.ly/3Rq6AyV Ship to Sierra Leone from the USA with Dot Bleu Find your next outfit at The Doll House Boutique To make Sierra Leone better

Host Vickie Remoe is in conversation with Alhaji Siraj Bah, a multiple award-winning green entrepreneur who makes cooking briquettes out of coconuts. Siraj shares his journey from homelessness in Freetown to becoming one of Sierra Leone’s most successful young founders and job creators. Show Notes Listen to Drizilik’s Di Mammi Ihn Moni Fo Comot: https://bit.ly/3NLiPCU j Ship to Sierra Leone from the USA with Dot Bleu Find your next outfit at The Doll House Boutique To make Sierra Leone better for women and girls in Salone better support the Asmaa James Foundation https://bit.ly/3ybDLz5

Host Vickie Remoe is in conversation with Namina Forna author of the New York Times bestsellers “The Gilded Ones” and the “Merciless Ones”. They discuss representation in fantasy books, girls' rites of passage, books as escapism, and growing up in Sierra Leone. Show Notes Listen to Zainab Sheriff’s Mammie Na Power: https://bit.ly/2Z6Vyrj To buy Namina Forna’s Book: https://naminaforna.com/ Ship to Sierra Leone from the USA with Dot Bleu Find your next outfit at The Doll House Boutique To make Sierra Leone better for women and girls in Salone better support the Asmaa James Foundation https://bit.ly/3ybDLz5

Host Vickie Remoe is in conversation with Screenwriter and Director Mohamed ’Spartar’ Lansana. Mohamed talks about the growth of Sierra Leonean films, the importance of passing legislation to protect and support the industry, and emerging producers and filmmakers from Sierra Leone everyone should know. Show Notes Listen to Famous’s Brighter Future: https://bit.ly/39upgMH Ship to Sierra Leone from the USA with Dot Bleu Find your next outfit at The Doll House Boutique To make Sierra Leone better for women and girls in Salone better support the Asmaa James Foundation https://bit.ly/3ybDLz5