Educate a Girl, Educate a Nation - Sierra Leone

As a team, we feel really good about a recent victory that we accomplished with your support.

Elizabeth lost her mother when she was eleven years of age.  Her father, a farmer, was finding it difficult to buy seeds to sustain his small scale farming business. A tribal man from Moyamba learned of his predicament and wanted to exploit the situation. He opted to help her father with some seeds.  He asked in exchange that Elizabeth later be given in marriage to him.

When Elizabeth became 12 years old, the man showed up to remind the father of their arrangement concerning Elizabeth. Joshua, our local Director, happened to be around at that time.  He reports as follows:

I saw the father looking distressed and asked, “You are not usually like this, what is the matter?” 

The father opened up and told me about the problem he was facing. “I do not have money to cover Elizabeth's fees and related school expenses".  I am already in debt.  What should I do?”

I suggested to the father that he first take Elizabeth to her Aunt Kadiatu. As an organization, we proceeded to take care of Elizabeth fees / related expenses and paid for her school uniforms and school materials.  

Elizabeth is now 14 years old and in Form 3. No more talk of marrying at 14 years old.

Elizabeth wants to be a lawyer when she grows. She likes English Language and Social Studies. She is very friendly and respectful. She cooks very well and is very hospitable to her Aunty Kadiatu. She is a good listener. 

Child marriage is still an unfortunate reality in Africa!  According to the International Center For Research on Women, up to 44% of girls in Sierra Leone get married before the age of 18!  

Thanks to your support we were able to make a huge difference in Elizabeth's life.  Our intervention enabled her to escape from the unfortunate threat of child marriage. Now she is developing herself, furthering her education and will be better able to support her family in the future. 

Together we changed the course of Elizabeth's life.  Your involvement and support made this possible.  Thanks so much.  

Today is a good day!  The world is a better place - thanks to YOU!

Links:

• Child marriage statistics

Hawanatu is a pupil of the Christ Evangelical Internal Secondary school and she wants to be a banker when she grows up. She is very clever and has won many prizes in her school in different subjects. She plans to be first in her class after exams and is currently third in her class. She enjoys running, singing, and dancing. Her favorite subjects are Mathematics and Religious Moral Education. She has two brothers and two sisters. Her duties at home are to wash dishes and fetch water. She is looking forward to learning how to cook.

Your support is helping Hawanatu, and girls like her, get the education she needs to accomplish her goal of becoming a banker. Your donations are providing her with school supplies.

Due to the Ebola crisis, all schools are currently closed in Sierra Leone - with no projected re-opening date. This could be in the next month or so.  We do not know the date for sure - but we definitely want to be prepared as families need our support - more than ever before. Business has slowed down considerably.  The economy has taken a down turn and many families in the communities that we work are struggling to survive.

During our “Stop the Spread” Ebola sensitization program held on September 4th, three hundred and sixty (360) children were reminded about the importance of staying in school and getting an education. We wanted to keep schooling current in their minds.  Thanks in part to YOUR support, one thousand, two hundred (1,200) exercise books were distributed to them.  You can watch a video where 2 kids say thank you towards the end of the video.  This starts at 1 minute 48 seconds into the video.

On Wednesday, October 15th, from 9 am EDT to 11:59 pm EDT (or until funds run out!) Global Giving will be matching donations up to $1,000 per donor at 30%! There is $75,000 available in matching!

Your donation on October 15th will help us provide even more scholarships and supplies for more girls like Hawanatu.  Thanks so much for your support as we prepare for a great school year!

Links:

• Sierra Leone Declares State of Emergency in Ebola Crisis
• Ebola Awareness Campaign - Photos
• Video: "Stop The Spread" Ebola Awareness Campaign