Sierra Leonean villagers fight back against alarming deforestation | AFP

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In the heart of a protected rainforest near Freetown, Aminata, a widowed mother of seven, prepares to burn dozens of tree trunks to make charcoal — an illegal activity contributing to deforestation in a country already vulnerable to climate change. The rapidly growing destruction is however prompting some locals to act. "We are highly involved," says the head of a local community volunteer unit, Caesar Senesie. "We'll put an end to it."