“Tinap mek u go wuk” – in Krio it means get up, time to get to work.

Day Three: Arthur has been researching the prices of furniture and has determined it’s cheaper for us to have furniture built for the Media Center.

So on this morning, we are off to meet up with the carpenter, Idris, to review our proposed plan for each room and determine a budget for materials and his time.

The group goes room by room with measuring tapes in hand reviewing the furniture needs for each. We assign the purpose to each room and agree on the furniture. Once we have a good idea of what we would like to build, the carpenter figures out what materials are needed. An estimate is determined so Idris and Arthur can go negotiate the price the next morning. They will do the negotiating and purchasing of materials on their own, because they will get a better price if the team from America is not present.

Alluspa King paints the floors of the Media Center.

Day Four: It’s time to begin moving in to the Media Center. Today, the young filmmakers based in Freetown join us to clean the center and paint the floors—leaving the two front rooms unpainted for the carpenter to work. Arthur tours the group through the center and lays out the plan for the coming days for building out the space and officially opening the center. There are lots of nods of approval and the team is very pleased that they now have a place to create.

The previous day we had discovered that our driver was not only excellent at navigating the streets of Freetown, but was also an electrician. So we do an electricity review of the space and determine materials needed to repair lights and wall outlets so he is able to buy them the following morning. The afternoon brings the first delivery of wood for building the furniture.

In addition, we meet with the outdoor sign maker and review the center to begin listing what other fixes are required and setting up appointments for the next day with the welder.

Day Five: The carpenter and his team get to work building the furniture. They are craftsman and the initial work on the table legs is impressive to watch. Alluspa and Frank are busy with the “fix it” list and tackling the toilet and tub rooms. And Med (our driver and now electrician) is busy beginning the electricity work throughout the center. We confirm the work with the welder to add more security to the windows, build the sign structure and a locking equipment cabinet.

We lock up for the night, satisfied with our progress: we have a working toilet; a clean tub room; additional electric outlets; working lights and a room full of table legs.

As the first week comes to an end, there are plans made with the carpenter to carry on working through the weekend and for team meetings to outline the mentor training schedule for the following week. A group of eight will be gathering for mentor training to focus on editing skills with Banker and the development of the new media center and website.

Buildout plan for WeOwnTV Media Center in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Arrival: Arriving late in the evening on Sunday, we–Banker and Paula of the US team–are greeted by Arthur Pratt and several of the young filmmakers and mentors.  Warm welcomes and hugs all around and then quickly everyone retrieves the bags and races to get through customs—as always it’s a bit of a feat with several “interesting” large boxes/bags coming into the country. This is the first of many negotiations that are required. We are fortunate to have Arthur on our side, as a masterful negotiator he is able to sway folks in our favor.

Observation: Negotiating in Sierra Leone is an art form and always a passionate exchange. They definitely give any Italian a run for their money. There are hands waving, eyes rolling, heads shaking, clickings of the tongue…and all done in community. If a debate begins with two people by the end everyone within earshot is exchanging their opinions regarding the issue and all with the same passion and enthusiasm of the original debaters.

The race to Freetown continues as the group caravans to the ferry to make the potentially last ferry from Lungi to Freetown. On arrival we are told the ferry has pulled away. Arthur heads out to find out what’s really happening…and negotiations continue. The lineup of cars is trying to convince the ferry operator that they should do another run across to Freetown—nobody wants to take the 2-3 hours Port Loko road route or alternatively stay the night in Lungi to meet the morning ferry. First “representatives” of the group are going down the lineup to see who is willing to pay a surcharge so the journey is more enticing for the operators with such few cars and people. Once it’s determined who’s in, they present our offer to the operators and we are on our way.

We safely arrive in Freetown and are settled into the residence house to rest up and meet Arthur in the morning.

Day One: Arthur has vetted potential media center locations and meets us to visit each to determine which WeOwnTV: Sierra Leone will call home. He is accompanied by our agent to show us each of the potential facilities—agents are essential because landlords generally only list vacancies to the agent community. Each side has an agent and everyone gets a cut of the final lease.

Our new home: 20 Old Railway Line, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

We head out to see his first choice, a two-story building near the government building (which means it will have a good steady stream of city power). The place is great and everyone associated—landlord’s agent, the caretaker and his family—are gracious and welcoming. We are led around the outside area and up to the second floor to survey the space. It’s much bigger than we are expecting for the asking price and seems to generally be well outfitted for lighting and internet wiring. It’s determined we will meet up with the landlord so he can meet us and discuss lease amount.

We head out to review other locations—but we all expect this will be our place. The rest of the day is occupied with setting up the residence with gas, generator, groceries and paying the meter to receive city light.

Day Two: Excitement is in the air as we get ready for the day knowing we are meeting with Mr. Mansaray—our potential new landlord. We—Arthur,Banker, Alluspa, Frank and Paula—arrive and are greeted by the two agents and introduced to Mr. Mansaray. He has a distinguished presence and kind eyes.

Banker documents the signing of the lease by Arthur Pratt, manager of WeOwnTV: Sierra Leone.

We gather in the office to give us an opportunity to describe the vision of the media center and negotiate the lease price. Arthur takes the lead for our team, answering Mr. Mansaray’s questions. As it becomes evident that all is going well and that a partnership is eminent, the agents enter the room to begin negotiating the price. Mr. Mansaray had been running his own organization out of the building and likes the idea of WeOwnTV being there. Therefore, he is very supportive of the work we are doing and is generous in the negotiations.

All is settled. A temporary lease is drafted and signed. Ceremoniously, speeches are made by Arthur and our new landlord, Mr. Mansaray. Arthur blesses the new media center with a prayer and then we wait for the rooms to be emptied and to receive the keys to our new home. 20 Old Railway Line is now ours, so we get on our way to begin planning.

“Wi de kam” – in Krio this means we are coming back.