Current Project: Kenema-Blango Primary School Partnership

Our 6th project, which is in the village of Kenema-Blango in Sierra Leone’s Southern Province, expands on our concept of partnership.  Not only is SLVP working with Kenema-Blango to complete the construction of a primary school building, we are working with Friends of Sierra Leone (FoSL) an organization with a long history of serving the people of Sierra Leone.  In 2006 when FoSL was holding one of its annual meetings in Sierra Leone, it was approached by representatives of Kenema-Blango for assistance in constructing a primary school for the 300 plus students in that village.  At the time the town used its court barrie as a makeshift school.  Court barries service as town halls/court rooms in Sierra Leonean villages.  Although they have roofs to keep out the sun and rain, court barries don’t have proper walls and are not divided into individual rooms, and so do not make ideal schools. 

FoSL committed to not only assist Kenema-Blango in constructing a six classroom building and a latrine, it provided financial assistance to send Mr. Alieu Jalloh, the primary school’s head teacher to a 3 year training course at the Bo Teacher’s College.  In 2009 Mr. Jalloh graduated from the college as with a certificate in primary education.  In return for his educational opportunity, he has agreed to continue serving as the Kenema-Blango primary school head teacher. 

This is a picture taken when the first three classrooms were completed on October 7, 2010.  Our hope is to replicate them for the next three. 

 

The construction of the school began in 2008 with the donation of 10 acres from the local chief.  FoSL raised enough money to construct a three classroom building and latrines in 2010 and additional latrines and a well in 2011.  


Through additional fundraising efforts FoSL raised the money for the additional 3 classrooms, however it could not manage to raise the money for a roof for those classrooms or furniture.  It was then that FoSL reached out to SLVP and we were happy to help.  Through the support of our donors we were able to send Kenema-Blango enough money to complete the roof before the start of the rainy season.  Through our fundraising efforts we plan to assist that community in building the desks, chairs and tables for its students and teachers.
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