The Legacy of British Intervention in Sierra Leone

This chapter explores the legacy of British actions in Sierra Leone; that more than two decades have passed since the initial British ‘boots on the ground’ intervention enables an analysis of the longer-term impacts through the experiences of those involved. The term ‘legacy’ was not pre-defined in order to gather a holistic dataset based on the voices of the interviewees. All participants understood it as a reflection of the manifested long-term outcomes, interpreting this within experiences they found meaningful and relevant. This chapter focuses on experiences from 2010 until 2017, the latter date being when the primary data was collected. Although these date parameters are somewhat arbitrary, when participants spoke of ‘legacy’ they largely referred to experiences post-2010. The theme of SSR returns, building upon data presented in Chap. 2 from a longer-term perspective. New themes also emerge, including development, the role of memory in sustaining peace, and how participants interpreted indicators of ‘success’. The thread of funding and sustainability runs through several of the themes.