Educate & Empower Children in Rural Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone, the beginning of the Academic year is a time of special financial challenges as parents struggle to pay tuition, buy uniforms, shoes and learning and teacher materials.  Even with free quality education programs sponsored by the Government of Sierra Leone, parents in villages without EduNations schools are still challenged by having to buy uniforms and other learning materials that could cost a total of $250 per student. In a country where average per capita income is on the order of $500 per year[1] this is simply impossible and parents cannot afford to send their children to school.

So you can imagine why there were such big celebrations in each of the six communities with an EduNations school where children receive tuition and school supplies free, thanks to your generosity. From village paramount chiefs on down, people gathered to jubilantly express their thanks and appreciations to EduNations. Paramount chiefs and other leaders said they were especially grateful this year when the world is facing so many challenges and Sierra Leone is experiencing rapid price-inflation at more than double the rate in the US.[2]

This year 3,040 students were super excited when they each received supplies including school uniforms, exercise books, pens, pencils and erasers (or erasable slates for nursery students), a ruler, and even a box of crayons! For students in developed countries, these supplies are more or less a given, but in Sierra Leone receiving them is a big deal. Teachers and administrators also get refreshed supplies and, of course, well-designed lesson plans to help students advance.

On behalf of the EduNations staff in Sierra Leone, we join the families and the people of Sierra Leone to express our sincere appreciation to the donors and Board of EduNations for their relentless support to these under-resourced communities and say ‘TENKI’.

[1] MacroTrends.com.

[2] World Data’s estimate of 2021 consumer price inflation rate in Sierra Leone as 12% vs 5% for the US.

Links:

• EduNations' Website

As we pause in the period between the end of the last school year in July and the re-opening of the new school year in September it’s a good time to reflect on what your support has accomplished.

Each school year is both exciting and challenging. Students, teachers, and other staff are energized by what the curriculum holds for the students and by the extracurricular activities such as sports, spelling bees & quizzes, debates, camps and other field trips. As in other years, EduNations’ students performed very well on year-end standard tests required for completion of primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary school levels. And while these exams mark achievement, we are especially thankful to see the growth in our students’ abilities and character as a result of EduNations’ comprehensive approach to education.

The upcoming school year is especially exciting since it will mark the first year for the Rokassa Senior Secondary School operating with three class levels (roughly equivalent to 10th, 11th, and 12th grades in a US school system) after two successful years in operation.

All of this—from uniforms, supplies, and school tuition, to provision of healthy meals for the students—is possible due to your generous donations and sponsorship. The students and staff want to thank you for “Igniting Hope” in these communities.

Links:

• EduNations Website