Two boys from Yele, in Sierra Leone’s Tonkolili District, are urgently seeking safety after escaping a forced initiation attempt by members of the Poro society; a powerful traditional group known for strict and sometimes violent practices.
On 20 March 2025, a journalist on field assignment found Malachi Keita and Abu Bangura in a distressed and weakened state. The boys, dirty and traumatized, had been hiding for days without proper food, clean water, or shelter.
According to their account, Poro society members had hunted them for three days in an attempt to forcibly initiate them.
Abu explained that his father is deceased and that his uncle also the head of the society was leading the push for his initiation. Malachi said he had been staying with his grandparents while his parents were out of town, and they too supported the initiation. Fearing for his life, he fled. He also revealed his younger brother, and other boys had already been taken by the society members, while his older sister had gone into hiding to avoid forced initiation into the Bondo society.
Both boys stated that refusing to join the traditional societies often leads to abduction, severe punishment, or even death. They said they lived in constant fear and believed that anyone who tried to protect them would also be at risk.
Attempts by the journalist to mediate with the boys’ families were unsuccessful. The families insisted that joining the Poro society is compulsory and part of their local tradition. When the journalist highlighted that forced initiation violates human rights.
Days later, when the journalist attempted to follow up, Malachi and Abu had disappeared from their hiding place. Sources believe they may have travelled to Freetown in search of safety and protection from further attempts at forced initiation.
The boys remain vulnerable and in urgent need of protection, psychosocial support, and a secure environment where they can rebuild their lives free from violence and fear.
