Today, we are excited to share part 1 of a 5-part series -  a community radio interview.  In this series, you will hear directly from our Program Manager in Sierra Leone and community members. We will share the remaining parts in the coming weeks. 

Thank you for your continued support of girls' education.  Recently one of the Develop Africa Sierra Leone (DASL) team attended a girls' mentoring session on financial literacy and shared the report below. 

Thomascias is a bright college student with dreams of becoming a Social Worker so that she can give back to the community that supported her in her times of need.  She has been a part of the Develop Africa Scholarship program since she was a little girl, and she is so thankful for the support she has received from donors like you that have enabled her to complete high school and now attend college. 

Thomascia expressed her gratitude to donors in this video. 

Over half of the school-going kids in Sierra Leone lack adequate lighting. Most rely on smoky and dangerous kerosene-based lighting for their evening studies. Lack of sufficient lighting critically undermines kids' ability to study in the evening and negatively affects their performance in the classroom.

In May 2023, Develop Africa, thanks to support from Ubuntu for Humanity, distributed lights to kids in Bo, Sierra Leone. This intervention helps to minimize the electricity challenge these kids face in their communities.

Jereme, a talented junior secondary school student, aspires to become a teacher. Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, Jereme has received educational support to cover his tuition fees, textbooks, and school supplies. Your contributions have played a pivotal role in his education.

From the Field:  It's a hot and humid morning in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and a group of children is gathered around the computers, their eyes wide with wonder as they learn. For many of these students, they don’t have computers at home, let alone use one regularly.

However, with classes like this one, they are now learning computer skills and other related Microsoft Office programs, skills that can help them find jobs and build better lives for themselves and their families. 

Imagine a place where children's laughter fills the air, dreams are nurtured, and a bright future is within reach. That is the vision we hold dear—a nursery school that will serve as a beacon of hope, igniting the spirits of these young learners and providing them with the quality education they deserve.

Financial literacy is very crucial in the development of young people and was the focus of a recent boys' mentoring session. The session was attended by 22 boys, who each received transportation to the mentoring session and lunch. Mr. Abass K., an experienced audit associate, was the guest speaker.  

He covered several key points during his presentation:

1. General concepts of financial literacy

2. Balancing needs and wants

3. The importance of savings

Elizabeth talks about what she learned at a recent health & wellness mentoring session, "Hello, my name is Elizabeth, a beneficiary of Develop Africa. In today’s mentoring program, I learned about health, nutrition, and exercise. I also learned that exercise helps us to sustain and improve our health. Also, I learned about a balanced diet; when we take in a balanced diet, we will be healthy, thank you."

Hassan is a bright senior secondary school student from Sierra Leone who dreams of becoming a doctor one day. Through the generous support of donors like you, Hassan received educational support including his tuition fees, textbooks, and other educational resources.