Your donations have helped us ship much needed school supplies to gilrs in Sierra Leone.  While we take pencils, paper, notebooks and other supplies for granted, these gilrs see each pencil as a treasure.  A pencil and notebook opens a door of opportunity to these young girls.  Each girl that receives school supplies is being given the chance at a better future. 

Classes have just resumed at the Bitame Lucia Nursery and Primary School in Nkolfoulou, Cameroon.  Thanks to you many of the children started the school year with school supplies. 

The older children are eagerly learning how to tie the tie on their uniforms and proudly showing off their uniforms and supplies. The younger children are also proudly dressed in their uniforms with their new school supplies. 

Many kids in Sierra Leone are the first kids in their family history / generation to go to school.  These kids do not receive any educational support (with homework, educational counseling etc.) from their parents. 

The UNDP summary of Sierra Leone states that ... "illiteracy remains a persistent challenge and youth that lack that skills and education find it extremely difficult to compete for the limited jobs available".  The article estimates the adult illiteracy rate at 41%.

We are so very excited about the opportunity that solar power and technology brings.  Technology holds a vital key in that it can be used positively to open doors of opportunity. Technology can solve or alleviate real life and everyday problems. 

For many thousands in the developing world, power cuts and "black outs" are part of life - happening every week. Many thousands of other homes are not connected to the electrical grid. These homes do not have any power at all and they depend on fossil fuels and consumable energy sources to light their homes. 

Schools are now closed for the academic year and will reopen in September.  

With 84% of the population living under the international poverty line, our support is needed more than ever.  About 1.5 million children are enrolled in primary school in Liberia, but the government said only 20 percent of the children complete 12th grade. Years of civil war have also taken their toll on the nation’s education system. In 2013, nearly 25,000 students failed the University of Liberia entrance exams.

Educating girls is crucial as this impacts the family and the entire nation. 
 

UNICEF believes it's simply the case that when you have healthy, well educated and emancipated women, these women in turn rear healthy, well educated and emancipated children.  

"To educate girls is to reduce poverty," says Kofi Annan.

According to UNESCO, “education and poverty eradication are inextricably bound”.

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.