We are truly grateful for every donation and supporter of these young ladies, like Kadija, in Freetown. Your support has made a lasting impact on Kadija's life. She became pregnant during the Ebola crisis and had to drop out of school, but because of generous donors like YOU, she was able to start vocational training.   She tells us about her journey in this video-

Hello, my name is Kadija, I’m a student at the Baptist Vocational training center.

Have you seen the movie - "Deja Vu" by Denzel Washington? 

It's the fascinating story of the bomb that blew up a New Orleans ferry. Futuristic technology is used to roll back time. Then the actors take action to prevent an almost certain disaster. 

The ability to prevent the occurrences of negative events has fascinated me for a while.

One of the sad outcomes of the Ebola Epidemic is that there was an uptick in teenage pregnancy. This happened when school-going girls were home.

Your generous support is continuing to provide microfinance loans even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your support is helping small businesses, like Mabinty's, during these challenging times.

Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated as it continues to make an impact on the future leaders in Sierra Leone.  Below is an update from the Sierra Leone Develop Africa team, regarding the challenges related to delivering school supplies to remote villages.   You can also see in this video how challenging it is to navigate the roads.

While COVID-19 continues to disrupt our daily lives; we are all struggling to work out a new normal.  Because of this, there are ongoing needs to provide face masks, soap, and hand sanitizers.  It has also brought the need of providing nutritional meals to families who no longer have the ability to provide food for their families due to loss of jobs or income.

Thanks to your support masks and soap have been distributed to students like Elizabeth & Lucy, pictured here.   These girls expressed their gratitude for your support that is keeping them safe.

We are truly grateful for every donation and supporter of these young ladies, like Isata, in Freetown.  We are so thankful to be a part of her story.

Then in 2010:

We’re together helping to close the technology gap for the future leaders of Freetown one student at a time.

This has been possible thanks to you and an organization called Computer Equipment for Kids. 

Computer Equipment for Kids is an organization in Virginia that provides computer equipment to families who cannot afford them. They take old/used laptops/tablets, refurbish them by cleaning the system, installing a new operating system, and fixing minor issues. They have been sending a steady supply of refurbished laptops and tablets to Develop Africa.

As with many other areas around the world, social distancing and masks have become the new normal in Sierra Leone.  

Adama tells us in her video how she is able to attend the Vocational School thanks to the financial support she received. We also have the opportunity to learn how training is different right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Handerson Bennah, President of Best Inc, in this video provides a background to the school and explains the importance of school supplies.

Best Inc and the school was established in 2009. Best Inc. has been in partnership with Develop Africa since 2015.

Your continued support is greatly appreciated in providing long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) to families and individuals in Freetown.  Because of the bed nets they received, students like Isata can now focus on her education and futures and not on malaria.  

Isata expresses her gratitude for her new bed net in this video saying - 

Thank you for this mosquito net.  This mosquito net will protect me from mosquito bites.