Ortonville- In early April 2004 Mariama Conteh turned 19.
Like many in their late teens, she’s planning for college, loves music, and her perpetual smile is a prelude to a bright future.
Yet, Mariama’s life includes adversity’far more than most late adolescents would have endured.
In 1999, rebel soldiers from Mariama’s home in the West African country of Sierra Leone sundered her left hand just above the wrist with a pick axe. On her right arm a ragged scar exists where an attempt to sever the other hand had failed. Her knee was broken after she eventually fled the rebels.
Although difficult to understand, rebel logic reports from the country say the brutal assaults were to punish people for voting, the aftermath of a 1996 campaign using the slogan, ‘let’s put our hands together to create a new future.?
From the bloody atrocities of an African conflict, to Staten Island N.Y., to rather placid Ortonville, Mich., Mariama’s 19 years of life traverses a myriad of experiences ranging from the depth of terror to hope for a solid future.
‘The rebels would chop off the hands of children in retaliation,? said Deannie Elliott, an Ortonville resident who, along with husband Clayton, adopted Mariama in 2001. ‘Mariama’s nearly severed limb hung by the skin until her mother completed the cut with a piece of glass.?
In 2000, six Sierra Leonean children including Mariama, all victims of the rebel butchery, came to the United States thanks to an organization called Gift of Limbs, a group comprised of Staten Island Rotary clubs and a Brooklyn Rotary Club, Staten Island University Hospital and Arimed who donated prosthetic limbs. The children were part of a humanitarian effort to bring awareness of their plight.
Ranging in age from about 4 to 15, the group of children traveled first to Washington, D.C. to be heard by the Africa Subcommittee of the International Relations Committee. The group of children, which were living in a Sierra Leone camp in Freetown, were sponsored in part by the Friends of Sierra Leone, whose members are former Peace Corps volunteers in the West Africa Nation.
According to reports from The Washington Post, through interpreters one by one the children told their story from behind a mahogany table in the House of Representatives, some resting their chins on the tabletops.
Mariama Conteh was one of those children. Weighing about 87 pounds, she was shy and rail-thin, say the reports. She had learned Krio, an English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who settled in the Freetown area. The rather unique dialect spoken by about 95 percent of Sierra Leonean contains no ‘r? sound in the language.
‘It’s very difficult to learn and Mariama had to learn her r’s when she worked on her English.?
The original plan for the children was to return to Sierra Leone. The plan changed.
‘Rebels watch TV too,? said Deannie. ‘They would see the kids on the network and possibly kill them when they returned. So they needed to stay in the United States.?
On Sept. 11, 2001, Chad Everett, Gift of Life National Spokesperson and the brother of Deannie met Joe Mandarino near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in the Staten Island area.
Everett was in Staten Island as part of the 1,000 mile walk/run for Gift of Life, which assists more than 4,000 nationwide with organ transplants.
Mandarino of the Staten Island Rotary Club, along with Everett were attempting to cross the bridge. However, due to the 9-11 tragedy that morning cars were banned from crossing the bridge. So, like many caught up in the choas of the day the pair met while crossing the span.
‘After meeting my brother told Joe, ‘I know this great couple in Ortonville. Do they have a chance for adopting one of these children??? said Deannie.
‘Joe replied, ‘they’re up to bat.??
Clayton and Deannie were contacted by Everett in Ortonville and flew their own small plane out to Staten Island to meet the six Sierra Leonean children.
‘Mariama was the oldest of all the kids,? said Deannie. ‘I kind of think she thought she was too old to be adopted. Then we had her come to Ortonville for two weeks to see how we and she would adapt…and we got along great.?
When she first arrived in Ortonville she spoke very little since the language was unfamiliar to her and nightmares were frequent, says Deannie.
While some nightmares still occur much has changed in just two years.
‘You’d never know anything happened; she’s funny’with a great sense of humor,? said Deannie.
‘I’ve never seen such faith in God.?
Today Mariama attends Waterford Adult Education and currently is working at a fifth-grade level in English and her math skills are at a 10th-grade level.
In June 2003, Mariama returned to Staten Island and received a new custom-made myoelectric arm to replace the old one, which her mom says was uncomfortable to wear.
In addition to attending school, the Oakland Literacy Council has provided a free tutor to help her two hours per week.
‘English is very difficult to learn, they work with her reading skills. Anything she needs to work on, they provide the learning material,? said Deannie. ‘They have been just outstanding to work with.?
Mariama says she hopes to return to visit her family who still live in Freetown and would like to teach them to write.
‘Of course I’ll travel with her,? laughs Deannie. ‘It’s still a very dangerous place to visit.?