Bring quality education to 30 vulnerable children in Kori chiefdom, Sierra Leone

Summary

The poverty state in Kori chiefdom, Moyamba district, is a result of the eleven years rebel war and Corona Virus (COVID-19). It has left so many children between the ages of 6 – 15 years as orphans and highly deprived. These children need education and safe lifestyles. The initiative will work within the community to raise awareness for education, and their rights to quality learning. It will provide school and life necessities/supplies as well. There will be monitoring of progress to celebrate their successes.

Challenge

The poverty status of the Kori chiefdom, in the Moyamba district, is a serious obstacle for socio-economic development of more than 300 vulnerable children. They lack interest and drop out of school, which leads to their engagement in violence, prostitution and misuse of drugs. Girls must stay at home to care for siblings and/or collect water, others must go to work to help support their families. Some live too far from schools and others can’t afford to pay their school fees or buy school needs and stationery. Eventually, girls are forced to marry before completing their primary education. Stakeholders and community members have limited impact thus far on the quality of the education.

Solution

The project will help empower 30 (15 males – 15 females) vulnerable children with access to education in the rural areas of Kori chiefdom, Moyamba district. By offering quality education to this population, we eliminate the strain that has been placed upon their parents. They will no longer be concerned with the direction their children will take because illiteracy will be addressed. It will also be easier to generate activities toward more income to support their families. It then becomes a journey to self-reliance.

Long-Term Impact

The potential impact of this project will help improve access to education in rural areas of Kori chiefdom, Moyamba district, targeting poor and marginalized groups of children. When the children are on the path of being literate, there is a ripple effect. It first starts with the parents, then families, then communities as a whole. Literacy in the broad sense impacts health, socio-economic development, and encourages collaboration between the youth and the adult community. Eventually it impacts other regions, other countries, and once again ripples widely. Once children learn the value of leadership, equality, and efforts toward creating and maintaining peace, they then teach others. MEYE-SL empowers, enriches, and then encourages sustainability.