By Foday Moriba Conteh
Education in Sierra Leone is legally required for all children for six years at primary level and three years in Junior Secondary education, but a shortage of schools and teachers has made implementation impossible.
Over the years, the country witnessed the intervention of various Non-Governmental Organizations with some, as part of their planned activities, constructing schools in certain parts of the country, thereby greatly helping in making it possible for kids to gain access to education.
One of those Non-Governmental Organizations, We Yone Child Foundation, a charity organization that is working towards improving the lives of vulnerable children and their families in Sierra Leone through quality education and life empowering opportunities.
It could be recalled that in December 2019, We Yone Child Foundation came in contact with the Wegdam Food Link B.V. and Wegdam Foundation.
In a year, Wegdam Food Link B.V. and Wegdam Foundation in partnership with We Yone Child Foundation renovated 6 classrooms, an administrative building with toilet facility, the agriculture school garden where children are taught practical agriculture and the farm produce used for school feeding at the Magbele ferry village, Port Loko District.
The construction of the six classroom block, with toilet facility, play ground in Kamabonko Village, in Kamakwie, Karene District, employed 8 teachers who are fully paid by the Wegdam Food Link B.V. and Wegdam Foundation in partnership with We Yone Child Foundation with the school currently hosting 355 pupils.
As part of supporting girls with skills training, the Foundation established a skills training centre that accommodates over 50 students, mostly teenage mothers.
Wegdam Food Link B.V. and Wegdam Foundation in partnership with We Yone Child Foundation also donated bicycles to enable children go to school. This is as result of the many children who work three to four miles to go school every day exposing them to danger.
They also provided agricultural seedling loan to over 100 farmers that will help them start their own business with the aim of supporting their children. A business grant was also given to over 48 families in Kamabonko village which have helped families establish their own small businesses and engage in farming activities.
Also worthy of note is that the Foundation also donated used clothing to residents of Kamabonko village and its surrounding villages within Karene District, Northern Sierra Leone.
In Freetown, Wegdam Food Link B.V. and Wegdam Foundation in partnership with We Yone Child Foundation has supported 28 teenage mothers to acquire skills in tailoring at the Dwarzack community with over 300 sewing machines that was shipped from Holland.
Upon completion of the two year training program, Wegdam Food Link B.V. and Wegdam Foundation in partnership with We Yone Child Foundation will provide start-up kits like sewing machines to the beneficiaries to enable them start their own businesses.
Wegdam Food Link B.V. and Wegdam Foundation have committed to be shipping six containers of educational materials every year to support the children. The Foundation has also donated a 8 14 utility truck that will be used to raise funds and support the activities.
Both are also supporting the construction of a secondary school and have undertaken the responsibility of paying the members of staff.
The Wegdam Food Link B.V. and Wegdam have also donated sporting materials, supported in setting up of computer training centres to help train young boys and girls in Microsoft applications, coding and business management programs to prepare them for the 21st century job market.
