Sounds as though they're trying to do something useful, and they'll certainly get some useful experience. It's reasonably cheap to get to as well, unlike a lot of West African countries. My wife has some relatives there, but the last time she was in the country was in 2000, when her brother died and she had to go to Freetown for the funeral. The airport was closed because the peacekeeping force (so-called) had taken it over, so she had to fly to Banjul, then take an air taxi up the coast. The plane was shaking, smoke was pouring out of the air conditioner, and she said everyone was hanging onto their seats and praying all the way. We had to provide a cow for the funeral, and with Freetown cut off by the rebels, it was more expensive to buy one over there than it would have been here.
