Independence Powers Development

So often the development world seems to be very disempowering because the money and therefore the agendas and goals are driven and dictated by foreigners. True sustainable development must surely step away from this dependence. This is why we so strongly believe in education as a tool for real development. With a thinking education, nobody can tell what the seeds that are sown will grow into. We can hope and wonder but there can be no exact foretelling.
It is therefore very exciting to be able to talk about just that..... a group of the young staff, almost all of whom are past EducAid students, have come together to form a club they are calling IPoD: Independence Powers Development.
The members get together to train and play football on Saturday and have a good time but have not stopped there.  They came to me this week with a list of all the things they have seen around the Lumley school that need doing before the new term and they want to take the responsibility for doing them: repainting the gates and railings, re-screeding the middle floor, repainting the blackboards and so on. Their plan is to unite to solve problems first within the school and then extend out into the community.  Fantastic!  Very encouraging attitudes and a real hope for independent development that will last beyond foreign interventions.

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

Osman Kamara: RIP

Hope and development on the one hand versus poverty and death on the other!

Osman Kamara, student of Magbeni, died yesterday.  A bright young mind who was to join the exam class next year, he died on Saturday probably of malaria although no-one really knows exactly.

It has been over a year since we last lost a student but if we needed another reminder of why we fight the fight we fight, here it is.

In the UK if a school child dies, the whole school comes to a standstill.  The family does not know how to cope.  In Sierra Leone, it is regarded as sad but commonplace.  People die daily of nothing and everything without the doctors and medical practitioners being able to intervene meaningfully.  For the privileged in this country of course there are enormous differences.  If you are ill, you go to the best hospitals or as likely as not, out of the country for your treatment and you may well live into old age.  Amongst the poor, the elderly are significant rareties!  The president’s mother died at a ripe old age last week and is buried today with the whole country in attendance with great pomp and circumstance.  This in stark contrast to Osman who was buried under a tree wrapped in a cloth, having not made it out of his teens.

May we never tire of fighting for the education of the poor so we know how to maintain our own health better, so we know what to ask of the doctors and how to hold them to account and so that we can earn a living and afford decent nutrition and medical care.

Our condolences go to Osman’s family and friends in the Magbeni community.

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

Dissertations

Essential skills acquisition.

Talking it through together with the Maronka kids.

Anyone for a wash?

Neesha and Kate have been getting stuck in to life in Maronka but have also enjoyed their friendships with the young teachers they have been working alongside.
One thing that has struck them has been the differences between their own training and the distance training course the majority of the young Maronka teachers are doing.
At the moment, the Maronka teachers are not only preparing for their final residential in the summer and exams in October but also writing up their dissertations.  Here are some of Kate and Neesha's thoughts on the dissertations they have read:

During our time at EducAid, we have had the pleasure of working with a group of dedicated teachers. Alongside their hard work in the classroom a number of staff have juggled the responsibilities of training college and writing a dissertation (a difficult task, as we know too well.)

At this point, we would like to thank Agnes, Cobra and Issa for sharing their work with us.  Each has selected powerful and emotive topics for discussion such as early marriage, FGM and Encouraging patriotism in youth.

Reading and supporting the group in their work has not only opened our eyes to poignant issues in the community but also made us appreciate so much more the opportunities we have had in UK completing our own degrees.  The three have committed themselves to writing informative and thought provoking assignments.  In doing so, they have been faced with challenges such as limited access to computers and appropriate literature, internet through mobile phones including the expense of credit as well as time restrictions.  However, the work produced has been powerful enough to bring us to tears, particularly Agnes’ work on female circumcision whilst Cobra and Issa have been discussing insightful and sensitive issues and delivering inspirational outlooks for the future. 

We would like to finish by commending all the young staff at EducAid Maronka for their continual hard work whether in exams, studying or facing the challenge of writing a dissertation.  It has been a pleasure to work with these learners in their journey as well as experience our own.

Best wishes Kate and Neesha

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

Kate and Neesha and the 'Rights R Us' Club

Enjoying the rain - Yes, it's rainy season

What? Chocolate? ooooh!

Who needs a washing machine anyway?

D*** mosquitoes!

Kate and Neesha, fresh out of teacher training college in Lincoln, arrived in Sierra Leone three weeks ago and have been having fun, despite some of the culture shocks they also experienced!
They have done some great work especially with the early years classes, working with Cobra and his team.
From our point of view, it is always good to have our work validated by people who know what they are talking about.  This is what they have to say about the 'Rights R Us' club.

Reflecting on our time in Maronka, EducAid, we have found the schools’ strengths lie in their ethos for teaching children about their rights and responsibilities.  This stems from cobra and his team’s passion for supporting children to think independently and recognise the role they have in their futures and that of Sierra Leone. 

This is developed in a number of ways, ranging from discussions in assemblies, work in class, extra curricular activities such as drama and Cobra’s group Rights R Us.  This group in particular stands out as they produce plays with poignant messages that highlight significant topics in their community and raise adult issues like child trafficking, slavery and FGM.  Watching the children’s performances demonstrated to us, how mature the children’s understanding is on such sensitive topics. 

Relating the productions to educational practice in the UK and other areas the subjects discussed may seem emotionally challenging for such a young age group however, the issues raised are an important part of Sierra Leone’s life, therefore drama provides an effective means for discussion provoking thoughts leading to awareness of their own rights and responsibilities.

Subsequently, the drama is effective, inspirational practice which we intend to continue in our own classrooms so that our children in the UK can develop and understand their roles in the classroom and the wider world to the same level.

Keep up the great work.

All the best Kate and Neesha

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

What next?

I am asked often about what our students go on to after school.  
I firmly believe that whether or not there is definite employment for them, education in itself has great value and keeps doors open but it is a real concern!
As many of our youngsters as we reasonably can, we take on as junior staff when they finish their own senior secondary studies.  In that role, they mature greatly while they put back into a system that has helped them.  We also try and see if we can link them to potential donors who can support their studies at tertiary level.
This too is a challenge.  We are struggling to fund our core activities and are already making difficult choices about who we feed, how much and how often and so on.  We can't afford to distract our loyal donors from core funding and so we go in circles!
We have a super group of youngsters right now who have just finished their senior secondary exams.  A number are taking up key support positions as junior staff within EducAid and we will be looking around to see about ways of helping them forwards.  
Last year, one group got together and started, with support from Swithun and others, a small printing and book making enterprise.  Some of them actually have formal sponsors but others in the group have not.  They have currently put aside enough money to help a couple of their colleagues with their college fees.  I am delighted at this communal spirit and really proud of their desire to support each other.
There is some talk of helping some of this year's leavers take micro-finance loans from a recognised lender, in order to start mini enterprises which they can use to help those who do not have formal sponsors.  
We are looking at internships with some of the up and coming businesses that are starting to be established.  We are keeping our eyes open for anything we think might help these young people keep moving forwards.
If, as you read this, you have any bright ideas as to how we might be able to source sponsorship for tertiary courses for some underprivileged bright responsible young Sierra Leoneans, please feel free to pass the ideas on to us : )


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

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