A WITNEY resident from Sierra Leone says he lives in constant fear that his four children back home could be affected by Ebola.

Alfred Fullah, 52, calls home every day as he worries they may catch the deadly virus, which started in his home country and has so far infected almost 10,000 people worldwide.

He has also doubled the amount of cash he sends home to help pay for food and medication to protect them from the epidemic.

Mr Fullah, of Judds Close, said: “Every day is a worry and I have to talk to my kids each day because I am so stressed they could be affected.

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“Praise the Lord everyone has been fine but it’s a very scary situation.

“I have to spend a lot of money calling them and sending money back, and I’ve lost a lot of sleep.”

Mr Fullah was vice-president of the Sierra Leone Teachers’ Union for 12 years before he moved to Britain in 2000 to study.

He is currently studying a full-time PhD in law at Oxford Brookes University, where he is a student union advice worker and voluntary warden.

Four of his children, Paulina, 22, Asha, 19, and 14-year-old twins Housanatu and Assanatu, still live in his homeland with his ex-wife, Amanata.

Mr Fullah, who has two other children in Witney from another relationship, also worries about more than 10 members of his extended family in Sierra Leone.

He used to send his family £200 per month but has doubled the amount because Sierra Leone’s economy has suffered following the outbreak and prices have risen.

Mr Fullah said: “The country has been in lockdown for a week and prices have gone up so I have to send more money.

“It buys them things like chlorine and anything else that helps to prevent them getting Ebola.

“It’s also about educating them to be aware of how to stay safe.”

Mr Fullah, who has helped raise £10,000 alongside a group of fellow Sierra Leoneans living in Britain to help combat the virus, believes the epidemic could get worse.

He added: “We need to do more in the West to stamp it out once and for all.”

Oxford Mail:

Mr Fullah with from left to right, Asha, 19, Paulina, 22, and 14-year-old twins Assanatu and Housanatu 

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