#AfterEbola
I must be back in Sierra Leone
Grim skin lurgy 1. Grim skin lurgy 1 again. Grim skin lurgy 2. Grim skin lurgy 2 again. Days shared in almost equal parts between hope, despair, delight, beauty, sweat, dust, anger, sadness, frustration and awe. I must be back in Sierra Leone. 10 months ago tomorrow we lost Alhassan. I still can’t believe I…
Read MoreSuccessful UK fundraising trip
We are just back from a very successful month of fund-raising in the UK. Successful because many new liaisons were made. Successful because many long-standing relationships have stood not only the test of time but also the test of the recession. Successful because much generosity has been shown. Successful because Anne [who organises my timetable…
Read MoreGolf Day raising monies for the EducAid coffers in Muswell Hill
Janet, Frank and Swithun – sorting stuff out. [Looks as if the champagne is in good hands!] The South African girls: Janet B & Linda D – bringing a touch of style and beauty to the occasion [as well as a lot of hard work behind the scenes].Frank and Swithun – organiser and auctioneer [respectively]…
Read MoreCongratulations to the winners!
”Hi Miriam, I have the honour of writing to inform you that Educaid are the winners of the Rafiki Photo Contest! Congratulations! The whole team loved that the students drew the Rafiki logo. It was a wonderful touch. Your prize is up to £150 of technological gear for your classroom. Congratulations again! Best,Renee” Always good…
Read MoreEzekiel graduates
Graduation Day – Congratulations on the wonderful achievement! He’s usually a lot smilier than this – must have been the awe of the occasion!When EducAid first started its own school on 18th September, 2000 with 20 assorted youngsters, on the back veranda of a house I rented, Ezekiel was one of the founding pupils. He…
Read MoreInteractive International lessons on the tube
Jimiyke has now returned to base after his 6 month tour of the UK where he caused quite a stir as he spoke to young people across the country about his experiences of the war and his rehabilitation through education since. He took part on many occasions in interactive lessons between schools in the UK…
Read MoreAmazon Queen
Shortly after Alhassan died I discovered the joys of online shopping. [I might despise the theory of retail therapy but the reality is that it still works!] Since then, I have become one of Amazon’s most active customers. It is quite a performance getting stuff here still but I generally abuse the offices of any…
Read MoreBad timing on the Icelandic Ash!
So tempting to ask, ‘Why me?!!!!’ but it is me + how many thousand [million??? not sure] others. The teacher training materials for the 2nd module are finished today and I should be on a plane out of the heat and the very confused dry / rainy season that has started here! but No!!! Icelandic…
Read MoreRafi.ki
Rafi.ki is an intra schools online learning community platform [or something like that!] Rafi.ki and EducAid have become good friends over the last 12 months or so as they have linked us in with a variety of projects and as we became the face [ok Jimiyke became the face] of some of their conflict diamonds…
Read MoreExam fever starts
Oral English exams last week, science practicals this week. Oh bliss! Oh joy!
Read MoreHelping EducAid Help
A few months ago, we started being contacted by those who had visited the excellent ‘stuff your rucksack’ website, where our link is: http://www.stuffyourrucksack.com/find/Recipient.aspx?RecipientId=253 A variety of people coming into Sierra Leone visiting friends or on work missions have brought all sorts of invaluable books, clothes, stationery etc. Today, I was contacted by Frangle who…
Read MoreRunning water in the compound – big day!
The gutters along the roads here are home to a spagetti of blue plastic water pipes. Some even have water in them but when things get difficult people wait until it is quiet and cut pipes at will in order to get the water they need. The result: however legal your connection to the mains…
Read MoreAdvocAid EducAid partnership goes from strength to strength
The team: Sabrina and Alison [left to right behind], Esther, Lilian and Mealo [left to right front]AdvocAid has contracted EducAid to run literacy classes in the Pademba Road [Freetown] and Kenema prisons for female prisoners for some time now but we had our first get together and real training session this week. Sabrina and Alison…
Read MoreGetting into the swing of things!
Adrian and Swithun spent their last afternoon seeing the kids at their best: receiving certificates and prizes for community service done, top exam scores achieved, merit certificates earned, being talked through numerous presentations from the various clubs: Science, Girl Power Group, Peer Mediators, Believers in Action, Life Skills Group, Library Society, ICT club and more.…
Read MoreHo down for EducAid
Ho down for EducAid!Mike Ruse [my long-suffering best friend from Uni days] has been do-si-do ing and swinging his partners with the congregation from a nearby church in Southampton on EducAid’s behalf. Much hard work went into the arrangements and we are very appreciative. We promise to spend the proceeds well! Amazing what people will…
Read MoreThe Big Boss is in Town
So….Jimiyke is back with a clean bill of health and very happy to see his friends again here. They were very excited to welcome him home! It has been an amazing experience but at times some serious homesickness. He is back, now, teaching in the IT room while working out his own next steps. Swithun…
Read MoreJimiyke 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…
Read MoreIt 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…
Read MoreDefinitely 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…
Read MoreWhite 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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