Jimiyke on the scene again

Jimiyke, last year’s headboy, has gone quiet over the last few months. After a traumatic 2009 when he nearly died of what was probably TB, sat his final senior secondary exams, had Hepatitis C antibodies detected, eventually, after much battling with immigration, he got to the UK in November. This was thanks to the generosity…

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It was looking good and then…….

I had just been thinking up a new positive blog entry.Firstly, there is the excellent new road to Kenema. Wow! No potholes for 200 miles. Almost unheard of in Sierra Leone.Secondly, there was an amazing decision made, allowing a woman to contend for a position as chief. Definitely unheard of in Sierra Leone.Then…..I was brought…

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Definitely too much excitement!.

Obai Santigie and his brother Alhaji receive the keys after their months of hard work to make the school building become a reality. Drummers and dancers – part of the cultural celebrations. Cultural high wire performance – another contribution to the celebrations. Fatmata, a very young member of the women’s secret society. She has declared…

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White Ribbon Campaign

On International Women’s Day, 8th March, EducAid Lumley launched its White Ribbon Campaign. The White Ribbon Campaign is an international campaign of men working to end violence against women. An initial 31 young men committed to upholding women’s human rights: -to stop discrimination against women -to stop early marriage -to stop female genital mutilation -to…

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Almost too much excitement!

Gaza’s team – Rice for the hungry winners of the intertutor group football leagueOnce a year, the timetable relaxes a little and, having worked hard together all year, we have a week of short school days followed by inter-tutor football matches followed by a staff match and the school outing to the beach. Last week…

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More trouble at Magbeni

Yayah Kamara is headboy of the Freetown school and the image of excellence in attitude, endeavour and intelligence. He is also from Magbeni.A couple of weeks ago, I was summoned to an emergency meeting in Magbeni because the relationship between the school and the community had degenerated to such a point that a serious meeting…

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Issa Fowai – making EducAid proud from China!

Issa in the coldIssa has been in China for around 6 months. He was called by the Sierra Leonean embassy the other day for his impressive standard upheld throughout the term. This is what he has to say for himself: I became happy when I heard finally that I have been given this chance of…

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World Maths Day

Ibrahim and Yayah [our mathematical experts] pit their mathematical skills against the World!The only Sierra Leonean competitors, EducAid participated today in a World Maths Day. Although some schools seemed to take a long time coming online, our technology has held up reasonably well. The connection is horribly slow. We will get broadband one day [fingers…

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Aunty K

Aunty K with her beautiful smileKadiatu [commonly known as Aunty K] comes from Rolal village. She would spend day after day, hanging around the junior secondary school playing in the dirt, hoping for some attention and a bit of rice when they cooked. When she responded enthusiastically to the attempts of Steph and Emma [two…

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More pluses than minuses this week

21 EducAid junior teachers [all but 3 are ex-EducAid students] ready to start their new course.This week, we did the final stages of training the Port Loko Teachers’ College tutors and now the distance education pilot has started there. Only 40% of teachers in Sierra Leone are trained and qualified so there is a desperate…

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Another day in Salone

Gibrilla Conteh, RIP [14.02.10]Just back from Gibrilla’s funeral. It turns out his crime was that of defending his uncle’s petrol from a thief. For this he was stabbed to death. His mother had already died some years back. His father is in a distant part of Sierra Leone and it has not been possible to…

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Not up for long!

I remember once during my own secondary school days the total shock when we discovered that a girl in the year ahead had been killed in a car accident. The whole school went into slow motion and mourning as our illusion of youthful immortality was shattered. Today, we have received news of our 7th student…

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The ups and the downs

Last week seemed to be overshadowed by the disaster in Magbeni but this week things are looking considerably more positive….. I have just got back from a trip visiting all the schools and although the roads were hard – once again we witnessed the remains of two fatal accidents – the news from all sites…

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And back with a bump!!!

After my first ever week offline and away from EducAid, on holiday with some concerned school mates, we are now back! And we know we are back, not only because of the crazy humidity and heat! On arrival I was summonsed to an emergency meeting in Magbeni. Before my departure, one of the village community…

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In pursuit of excellence…

Headboy, Yayah by his new store. The Women’s Project teachers with their progeny. The Headboy / girl teams.We have today, instated our new headboy and headgirl team. Headboy, Yayah and his two deputies. Headgirl, Ngadie and her two deputies as well as a mirror team at the Junior Secondary level. Particularly worthy or note are…

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Maronka City… well, maybe one day!

The current school building made of mud blocks with a tin roof. When we first started visiting Maronka, there were three houses and that was pretty much it. Obai Santigie [the chief] always made me welcome and encouraged return visits but there was little to draw outsiders in apart from the palm wine, the peaceful…

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More good news

Had a really good meeting today with the Director of the organisation funding the Maronka building. It turns out that actually, it was the local guy who had completely failed to pass on the message about requiring a slightly different building and structure. Authorisation was given to adjust the building to suit it to our…

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So much happening there is no time to write about it…

Since Kofi and I got back, I have not had the heart to send him back to the local school he had been attending. He has been dreading going back as he really has been spoilt for it by the wonderful, positive, creative environment that he has been exposed to in the UK on various…

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Hopes for 2010

This year, EducAid will celebrate 10 years of having its own school (now schools). EducAid Lumley opened on 18th September 2000. There have been many successes but equally many difficulties, many challenges and many sadnesses. In 2009, we not only lost Alhassan but also 4 students (and we know of several ex-students too) to the…

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