20091215
independent

The civil war in Sierra Leone became a byword for savagery. Marauding militias, often using child soldiers, killed and raped across the land. The country’s natural riches turned to a curse, with predators, both domestic and foreign, engaged in a fierce struggle to control mines producing the highly lucrative “blood diamonds”.

Ten years on, peace has broken out in the West African state. There is relative political stability, a programme - broadly successful - to reintegrate the armed groups and a number of ongoing reconstruction projects. Sierra Leone, backed by the billionaire financier and philanthropist George Soros, now presents itself as one of the region's successful investment opportunities.

However, for many in Sierra Leone the long years of strife and poverty has left a legacy of hardship. Particularly vulnerable are those who are physically handicapped, either through deliberate mutilations or disease. They are the ones, says General Sir David Richards, who will especially need help and must not be forgotten.