#AfterEbola

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…

Balla Turay, ex-EducAid student and ex-junior staff, is celebrating. He was interviewed a few days ago for a scholarship to Venezuela to study and thanks to his excellent results, his ability to express himself, and his Community Service certificate, he was selected. In a few months time, he will head off to start his ICT…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Jimiyke is still waiting for further feedback on the last few tests to ensure that his health is secure but in the meantime he is putting his time to good use. Various friends have offered opportunities to sit alongside them and improve his ICT skills and, in addition, he is fast becoming a bit of…

Mohamed Sannoh – A very proud day for him and for us all. Ok….and a few others too!Mohamed Sannoh, the longest standing EducAid pupil, has graduated from Fourah Bay College in Freetown, Sierra Leone in Accounting and Finance. Mohamed was part of our sponsorship programme in the very early days before there was an EducAid…