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The Whein Town landfill is more than just a dumpsite; it’s a daily threat to the health and well-being of its residents. In this interview, Laymah Kollie talks about her recent investigation, published as part of the DUBAWA in-depth series. The investigation highlights the hazardous conditions caused by the landfill, revealing contaminated water, severe health risks, and government inaction. With firsthand experiences and scientific testing, she uncovers a shocking reality the community has been forced to accept. This story is a call to action, urging authorities to prioritise the safety of those living in its shadow.
How has it been transitioning from being a journalist to a fact-checker?
It has been a journey full of learning, adapting, and involvement. It’s been a journey of mixed emotions and experiences. I got scared when I needed to fact-check certain claims involving high-profile personalities. Because verification is a whole different process from investigative journalism, I had to adapt new techniques, characteristics, and interactions with newsmakers. With DUBAWA, it has been a journey full of love and mentorship, too.
Do you want to tell us about the DUBAWA fellowship and how it contributed to your transition?
The DUBAWA fellowship was a great start for me. During that time, I learned how to conduct proper fact-checking, contact sources, source claims, and compose articles. It strengthened my strength as a journalist and made me a better fact-checker.
Tell us about your latest investigative report on Whein Town
My report on Whein Town highlights the struggles, fears, and challenges many people in that community face. It reveals deadly circumstances buried under the heap of a landfill situated in the community. This site is the only dumpsite responsible for waste disposal from Monrovia and its surroundings. Garbage at the site is overloaded and poorly managed. The legal time frame for the landfill has elapsed, and authorities are not doing anything to relocate it. It’s affecting the community badly.
How did it occur to you to pursue this story? Is there an inspiration behind the story?
The first day I visited this place, I felt like I was in another atmosphere. Something about the place wasn’t right. The smell of the garbage overshadowed the community, leaving me feeling uncomfortable. I saw flies spread over their food. I was scared of the water and couldn’t drink it there. When I asked a group of people seated in a little shop adjacent to the dumpsite, they told me it was an everyday experience for them. They mentioned that they had gotten adapted to the smell and the living environment. That led me to think of how I would retell their story since many people have already reported the incident. I went home feeling unhealthy while wondering what fresh perspective I could give their story.
How did you feel seeing firsthand what the community is experiencing?
I felt bad, sad, and horrible—mixed emotions. I wouldn’t eat or drink the entire day I spent in the community because of how it looked.
Were you worried when you had to take the test?
Yes, I was worried because after coming in contact with liquid from the site in the community, I experienced severe itching. I was afraid that I had contracted a strange sickness. I had to visit the hospital that week and got some medications.
What was your biggest challenge during the investigation?
My biggest challenge was accessing the landfill. The dumpsite is guarded by security personnel, and journalists are not allowed to enter. So, when I needed the wastewater to test, it was difficult to collect it. But I was able to get it at the end of the day.
There have been stories about the Whein Town Landfill; what new perspective can you add?
The new perspective is that I tested the liquid flowing from the garbage to the community. In that test, I found three different organisms that harm humans. The result shows that the water has the following bacteria: E. coli, Serratia marcescens, and Citrobacter freundii. These bacteria can lead to kidney failure, pneumonia, brain absence, diarrhoea, malaria, and typhoid, sicknesses that community members often complained about.
Did your fact-checking experience influence this new perspective?
Yes! My fact-checking experience influenced this perspective because it allowed me to verify every piece of information provided by the community before adding it to my article. For example, I had to verify the sicknesses they mentioned through the liquid test I did.
What do you want to achieve with this story?
The community pleads that the site be relocated and that safe drinking water and mosquito nets be given priority. When people read the investigation, it should attract the attention of the relevant authorities to resolve the problems faced by the community.
