Thanks to your ongoing generosity students at an additional school are now using new books and supplies. These supplies are strengthening the educational foundation of kids at the UMC Calaba Town Nursery / Primary School. There are 160 pupils in the school, aged 3 - 16.  

The kids and teachers were delighted to receive the supplies.  Joyce Kosseh, the Head Teacher, sent a letter expressing her appreciation .  We are so excited about the opportunity that we have to help build a stronger generation of leaders in Sierra Leone. 

Suad (pictured) was born in July 2008.  She is a pupil at the Vickrays Community Primary School.  She is in class three. Suad lives with her parents and two siblings in a two bedroom apartment with no electricity and water supply. 

Suad was delighted to receive one of the lights that your donations helped provide - as this is helping her study at night. Suad looks forward to using this safe and renewable light source for many years.

On a regular basis, we take time to look back and look forward - to see how previous microfinance beneficiaries are doing and what we can learn from them / share with others.  

Thanks to YOU, we have shipped a complete home water filter system to complement the solar-powered water pump and water tank. This system will help ensure that the children have a clean water supply to enhance better health and sanitation.

March is one of the driest months in Sierra Leone.  The water struggle in Africa is real.  Here is a quote from a recent news article.  

The ladies received a visit in March from Umaru Fofana, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Journalist in Sierra Leone.  He was delighted to see how we are supporting the girls during this transition season in their lives.  He interviewed some of the girls and Abu, who oversees the program.  

Bendu tells us in the interview:

Our story begins in 2010:

Isata was born in August 1999 in a very poor home. Her mother and father both work, but are struggling to care for their six children and they live in a slum dwelling.    Isata has been able to attend school the past eight years thanks to Develop Africa's scholarship program.  

Two months ago, a teacher of FAWE school started handling the computer training.  We have done a lot of work to ensure the kids receive adequate lessons in computer.  

Microfinance continues to be in high demand in Sierra Leone.  This is due to the fact that this is a proven way of helping people get out of poverty and develop a new sustainable income.  Thanks to your support, we offered this lifeline of support in February to Memunatu.

Your support provided a net for an old woman called Ena Marie.  She tells us in this video in Limba (one of the local languages in Sierra Leone) how the net has helped her.  Watch the video https://youtu.be/T0JnMOQ_umU.

Ena Marie says in the video:

Our trainees are steadily learning - thanks to YOUR support!  Your gracious support is helping to provide the supplies that they need.  Your support is also helping to pay instructors' salaries.  You are helping to make a huge difference in their lives.