Education in Sierra Leone
Sierra LeoneAccording to the United Nations, Sierra Leone is the worst country in the world in which to live. The country suffered a brutal 11-year civil war in which hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes, seeking refuge in other countries and in the bushes and forests of Sierra Leone.Thousands of children were killed, maimed and orphaned by rebel armies. Currently, one in every three children dies in Sierra Leone before his or her fifth birthday. |
Civil War Destroys SchoolsThe civil war destroyed primary schools in many regions of Sierra Leone. In 1996, it was estimated that 70% of children were not receiving any formal education, and more than 10,000 children were forced to fight as child soldiers. Free The Children is working to rebuild entire communities by constructing schools and training teachers. |
School and Medical Supplies for War-Affected ChildrenFree The Children schools in Sierra Leone are currently providing education to thousands of students. In addition, Free The Children has sent major shipments to war-affected regions, including many wheelchairs, school kits, backpacks, desks, text books, stuffed animals, clothing and $700,000 US in medical supplies. |
Mary from Moyamba Speaks Out
When Mary was 9 years old, her father was killed by the
rebels who attacked her village. Mary's mother fled with
her children to Moyamba community, hoping to keep them safe
from war; but the rebels eventually reached Moyamba.
One night, while everyone was sleeping, the rebels attacked
Moyamba. Mary was awoken by the gunfire and hid in the bushes
with her other siblings. Unfortunately, her brother and
sister were so young that they couldn't run quickly enough
and the rebels captured them, killing her brother and taking
her sister prisoner. Mary lived in the bushes for months,
always moving so that the rebels wouldn't capture her. Even
now, when Mary closes her eyes, each night she still feels
afraid.
Mary's dream of going to school came true when Free The Children built a school in Moyamba. The school gives Mary
the opportunity to build friendships and networks of support
with her classmates and to learn in a safe environment.
For Mary, the school built by Free The Children helps her
cope with her experiences and work towards building a better
life.
How You Can Help
The education program area of our Adopt a Village Model is divided into two equally important components: School-building (which provides the physical structure) and Educational Programming (which provides all of the necessary tools and resources for effective learning).Education
The education program area of our Adopt a Village model is divided into two equally important components: Schoolbuilding (which provides the physical structure) and Educational Programming (which provides all of the necessary tools and resources for effective learning).Schoolbuilding:
$8,500 will fund the building of a school* and required infrastructure
*Provides for one classroom - school construction and design varies from one country to the next. This means that a school may consist of one-room schoolhouses or multi-classroom blocks.
Educational Programming:
$50 can help purchase classroom supplies
$100 can help purchase textbooks
$250 can help plant trees on school grounds
$500 can help support teacher salaries
$1,000 can help support the building of teacher accommodations
Suggested donation amounts represent a significant contribution towards stated projects. Funds donated to Education programming will be used to support projects in this category based on greatest need.
Disclaimer:
The above represents the average costs of Free The Children projects in the communities in which we work. In cases where donations exceed what is needed or local conditions prevent program implementation, Free The Children will redirect funds to similar activities to help people in need. If additional funding is required because of specific project requirements or challenging local conditions, Free The Children may provide additional funding to complete the project to meet our commitment to our beneficiaries.
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