Sierra Leone - The War is Not What Saved Me

A memoir from the UNAMSIL mission

This story follows my work as UN water sanitation engineer working in Sierra Leone just after the war during the UNAMSIL mission. Her work in Sierra Leone was shocking to her, much less because of the horrid encounters of war in Sierra Leone, but more for her surprising familiarization with the UN system, the UN missions and the international group of people that find themselves on what should be a humanitarian effort. Ruby struggles to understand what she perceives as a very ugly side of the UN while discovering a great deal about her own inner strengths and identity. Initially her interactions give her a cynical perception of the missions, but as time moves on, she found a very solid discovery on who she is, surrounding herself with people she understands much more and a hope that there are better ways to contribute to global development and being a positive influence on others.

This book is a memoir, written to let others see the UN from the inside, question humanitarian missions and international humanitarian aid. An insight into some aspects of Sierra Leonean and United Nations culture. It is also an emotional journey of growth, swimming through the worst of humanity and sifting through to find the beauty in the worst situations.