Irena Przybyl - Exciting new photography project just starting

Irena enjoying the sea breeze and contemplating the way forward.

Irena Przybyl, a friend from my old school days, has just arrived in Sierra Leone to undertake a wonderful photography project.  She will be training groups of children in Lumley and in Maronka (the project will be rolled out to the other sites in the new year).  They will take photos of their world as seen through their eyes and then use them to tell the story of their lives and thus create a book (for sale in the UK).
The kids she has started working with are excited to be learning all sorts from how to work the cameras to filling frames to aesthetic awareness to...... all sorts!
Working with a team of junior staff to run teams of younger students, Irena will engage over 4o youngsters this week in Lumley and a further whole fleet of littluns in Maronka next week.
Watch this space and start saving your pennies so you can buy a few copies of your nearest and dearest when the book comes out.
All proceeds will be donated direct to EducAid to support our work here in Sierra Leone.
Many thanks Irena for this generous initiative and all your support.
If you are interested in knowing more about EducAid's work with vulnerable young Sierra Leoneans, please go to www.educaid.org.uk and www.educaidsierraleone.blogspot.com

So much happening....and so little time to write about it all!

Linda - very studious.

Maronka teacher training centre - the roof is going on.

Miriam Mansaray on a Sunday morning

Day of the African Child and our Maronka African children are shaking their stuff : )

 There are people doing triathlons in Devon and cycling across Asia among other antics on behalf of EducAid.  There are two young volunteers fresh from teacher training in Lincoln, a talented school friend and a business minded young man from Oxford all contributing their expertise, time and energy to boost various aspects of EducAid's work in Sierra Leone.  The UK based EducAid family continues to support generously in so many ways, financially as well as with donations and contributions in kind.

In response, the Sierra Leone based EducAid family have not been sleeping:

Laundry day in Maronka!

• The Secondary level teacher training 'Quality Enhancement Programme' that operates in Rolal with 12 partner schools from rural Port Loko district is concluding for the year after running courses in 6 key subjects to community and untrained teachers and an exciting behaviour management day for the principals.
• The Primary level teacher training centre has a 90% complete roof on it and is due to be ready for a September start.



The Deputy Director of Education
speaking to the assembled partner principals
from the Teacher Training programme

• The Leadership Team are increasingly strong in their management of the schools.  The students are setting ever higher standards for themselves and each other.  

• The Magbeni School was one of eight winning teams in the Innovate Salone competition being awarded $500 to go and implement their agriculture food security project.  
• The community service programme by which all EducAid students give two weeks a year, continues to inculcate the spirit of service.  
• The literacy and 'holistic' activities continue to ensure our students are among the best educated in the country.  
• The girls house is providing wonderful care for the girl pupils at Maronka.  
• Isata, YahYah, YahYah A, Musa, Tee, Bai Bundu and Sumaila are starting tertiary studies in September, thanks to UK sponsors.  
• Mabinty, Mealo and Bockarie will be completing their degrees in the next couple of months.  
• 20 junior staff will finish their teacher training course in the autumn.  
• A dozen new junior staff are being recruited to join the support teaching staff this week, having finished their senior secondary studies.



Rolal students on their way to the 16th June
(Day of the Afrian Child)
celebrations in Port Loko.

• The Maronka primary school kids are learning about and dramatising their understanding of their rights and responsibilities (videos to be uploaded when one of us gets near a decent internet connection!)

..... and so on ....


The battle continues.  There is so much to be done and funding issues continue to plague us but we are excited about the future and all it holds for EducAid and for the country.


If you are interested in knowing more about EducAid's work with vulnerable young Sierra Leoneans, please go to www.educaid.org.uk and www.sierraleonegirls.blogspot.com

Maronka footballers doing their fitness training