Posts by Miriam Mason
Cycling Preparations Continue
3 weeks to D-day. Despite my previous confusion, and therefore incorrect information, the EducAid fundraising bike ride will start in the early hours of Friday 11th September in Paris and, 180 miles later, will finish on Sunday 13th September in Brussels. I trust everyone’s training and preparation is going well and that people are generally…
Read MoreA Fitting Memorial
Many people have asked about sending flowers in Alhassan’s memory. While the thought is greatly appreciated, Kofi and I will not be around to enjoy them and their beauty is quickly gone. I know that Alhassan would greatly appreciate those of you who would like to, instead, contributing to EducAid. Alhassan supported EducAid in so…
Read MoreMemorial Service in UK
Just to let people know that we will be holding a memorial mass for Alhassan in Brixton at the Roman Catholic Corpus Christi Church on Saturday, 5th September at 10:30 a.m. If you are able to join us to pray in his memory and celebrate his life, your presence will be appreciated. Afterwards, we would…
Read MoreAlmost Relentless Bad News
So…. Alhassan died on Thursday, 6th August, aged 36. Emmanuel Bailay, senior teacher in Lumley, lost his sister on Saturday, 8th August, aged 22. Mani Abu, senior teacher in Rolal, lost his brother, Thursday, 13th August, aged 40. Ahmed Nyandemoh, chemistry teacher in Lumley, lost his cousin on Wednesday. Tragedy continues to be the daily…
Read MoreAlhassan
From the high pitched wailing from the throngs of mourners throughout the day, to the drumming and singing throughout the neighbourhood on the night before his burial, to the enormous crowds that turned up to his actual funeral, it was clear that I was not the only one to have appreciated Alhassan. I will not…
Read MoreAlhassan as we want to remember him
Alhassan died this morning of an infection that overcame his system and caused renal failure. I was privileged to see a special side of Alhassan. Everybody knows his smile, his laugh, his locks but not everyone saw underneath. Alhassan laughed and talked all day. I have rarely known anyone so popular and so well known…
Read MoreComing together of like minds
It is my regular cry to my students that alone, standing against the constraints of poverty and the ruthlessness of corruption, they will almost certainly fail, but together they cannot be ignored and overrun so easily. Together they can constitute an army for peace, an army for change and it is their responsibility to sharpen…
Read MoreMore or less recognisable now
Day three and Alhassan is now recognisable if not beautiful. The malaria we blamed for the initial black out turned out to be malaria with other nasty infections thrown in, hence the severity of the reaction. He will get better and the swelling will go down but he will not be himself for several more…
Read Morenarrow escape from wild bees
I think we can safely say that was a narrow escape…. Alhassan got up this morning complaining of malaria but promised to buy the treatment on his way home from dropping me off at a meeting. He had gone into town by the time I got back. A couple of hours later I received a…
Read MoreJimiyke – bad news!
For those following Jimiyke’s visa and health saga [For those new to Jimiyke’s story please read the post on 22nd May 09, 8th July & 16th July and/or follow the link to: https://www.educaid.org.uk/EducAid_Sierra_Leone/Abu_Bakarr_Koroma.html], we have today received very bad news. He has been refused his visa as the consular representative seems to have completely misunderstood…
Read MoreIssa Fowai – the shortest engineer in China
Great News – Issa Fowai, who finished his WASSCE [West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations] last year, has gained sponsorship to go and study in China. He has served as one of the most energetic and committed [if shortest!] members of the ‘junior staff’ for this academic year. Two years ago, ex-EducAidian Kema Gondo gained…
Read MoreTwo new additions to the EducAid family
[Photo – Fatmata, Kofi & baby Alhassan] Fatmata [Maronka teacher] & Mani Abu [Rolal teacher] had their first son and Mrs & Mr John O’Niel [Lumley teacher] had their 2nd daughter this week. Both were safely delivered in the Lumley health centre [very very scary place!] by C-section. I could not help but compare and…
Read MoreJimiyke – good but incomplete news
Headboy, Jimiyke, who nearly lost his life in March due to unidentified abdominal infections, is awaiting a visa to go to the UK for full medical assessment as it is unavailable here in Sierra Leone. [See 22nd May and 8th July posts or https://www.educaid.org.uk/EducAid_Sierra_Leone/Abu_Bakarr_Koroma.html for more background]. Despite having two sets of results showing that…
Read MoreEnd of term
The last day of the 9th year since EducAid Lumley started. Exams are over for better or for worse. Bags are being packed as students get ready to rejoin their families across Sierra Leone then Alhassan has a bright idea …… always one to enjoy the merits of ‘white man dancing’ Alhassan takes it upon…
Read MoreJimiyke – the latest
Head Boy, Jimiyke, locally assessed as needing urgenttreatment in the UK; huge response from donors and Addenbrookes. Jimiyke received a notification from the consular section at the British High Commission yesterday saying that his application for a visitor’s visa was still under consideration. His fate is still therefore uncertain. We hope for more news and…
Read MoreJustice for the poor!
This week I paid a visit to the Female Section of the Kenema Prison. I found myself having to hold back tears as, before we had our little meeting, they un-self-consciously sang chorus after chorus about Jesus forgiving them their sins and how prison was not for them any more! 32 inmates with four…
Read MoreCatch 22
Often I am asked what our students do after leaving school and if they can get jobs. I always answer that we are able to help a few get sponsorship and that some find work but that whatever they go on to we have at least helped open some doors for them and also they…
Read MoreWe are on the tube!
Huw PW, son of long time friend of EducAid, and his old school mate Ollie have been in Sierra Leone filming positive stories across the country. Such stories are not as hard to find as you might think, bearing in mind our recent experiences! They spent several days in EducAid and got some good footage.…
Read MoreCurriculum Revolution
Wow! Relevant, cutting edge, suited to the needs of the youth of 21st century, post-conflict Sierra Leone. For once Sierra Leone might not be last on the index for something! A new teacher training curriculum for Sierra Leonean secondary school teachers is being written. Dr Sean Higgins [British teacher and long term volunteer with EducAid]…
Read MoreAminata Kabia [16] RIP
And so the bad news keeps rolling in…. Aminata Kabia joined EducAid last summer when the Women’s Project started in Magbeni. She had been out of school for many years as it had not been a priority or a possibility for her parents for her to continue her education beyond a few years of primary…
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