Born outside Mauritania, she is the first generation of Marieme's family not to be scarred by slavery.

CNN: When freedom is 4,000 miles away

Her grandmother, Vera Vasquez, had a difficult time with the Great Depression and seemed to be scarred by it long after.

CNN: Great Depression holds lessons for surviving tough economy

To be sure, Kennedy's career was scarred by his personal life.

CNN: Commentary: Ted Kennedy was a true believer

The capital of Sierra Leone may be less brutalised than some other parts of the country, but its people are nonetheless physically and psychologically scarred by years of warfare, and this week they had to watch as foreign aid workers were pulled out.

ECONOMIST: Hopeless Africa