School Feeding Program in Sierra Leone

Like so many other countries around the globe, Sierra Leone has been hard hit by COVID-19.  And, as is the case with so many other countries, the schools in Sierra Leone have been forced to close.

This was mandated in March and A Brighter Tomorrow for Africa Foundation (BTA) had to adjust. As we did during the times of Ebola when people were mandated to quarantine, we moved our feeding programmes out of the four schools in which we work and began sending food to the villages where the children live.

We’ve been delivering rations of food for the children’s families to cook over the past few months and we’ve also sent over funding for masks and medical supplies to help combat COVID-19 in this extremely impoverished country without a true health system in place for responding to the pandemic.

Highlights we wish to share:

• I am 13-year-old girl living in Ngolala old town. Presently, I am awaiting to take my National Primary School Exam after the COVID-19. I want to say thank you BTA for providing me with meals in my village during this time of crisis.  I love you and I am praying that God will continue to bless you to support us.
• I am a nine-year-old boy living in Ngolala junction, upper Banta Chiefdom Moyamba District. I was happy to receive food from BTA. This helps me a lot during the lockdown hours of the COVID-19 crisis in Sierra Leone.  I enjoyed the food as my grandmother cooked it for me.
• The COVID-19 scare is still on and as a result, the kids are at home and parents continue to appreciate the quality of food that is provided for the children by BTA.
• BTA helped the schools to organize packages of lessons for the children weekly which the parents collect for them and return for the teachers to mark them so quality education continues.
• The food has encouraged the children to concentrate on their studies and they are also educated on preventive measure on COVID-19 to keep them safe and well.
• With the present situation, if children are hungry, concentrating on studies is not possible.  The children therefore need food to concentrate and that is exactly what BTA is providing.

Thank you for your continued support as the world is a such a challenging place for all of us – particularly those in countries like Sierra Leone.