ChildFund and KOICA Hand Over a Three-Classroom Block with WASH Facility at Sengbe Pieh Memorial School

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ChildFund Sierra Leone with funding from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and ChildFund Korea has today handed over a three-classroom block with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facility to the Sierra Leone Government at Sengbe Pieh Memorial Secondary School, Hamilton in the Western Rural District.

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In April 2023, ChildFund launched the USD 1,596,124 Increasing Access to Secondary School Education for Out-of-school Girls Project. The project is geared towards ensuring that out-of-school girls have access to inclusive and safe learning environments; out-of-school girls are supported to continue their education; and communities are meaningfully engaged in the protection of marginalized children and enrolling them in schools. The project’s goal is to re-enroll 3,300 out-of-school girls in six schools in the Western Area in three years (2023-2025) to promote inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.

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Through this project, this year, ChildFund commenced the construction of two 3-classroom blocks at the Sengbe Pieh Memorial and Muslim Congress secondary schools. The works at Sengbe Pieh School, comprising 3 well-furnished classrooms, an office, and a store, have since been completed.? The classrooms are furnished with 210 pairs of desk and chairs, 3 whiteboards, while the WASH facility hosts two sex-separated toilets, hand washing facilities and a borehole.

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“Sierra Leone has made major strides in the education sector over the last few years. Apart from the Free Quality Education program initiated by the government of Sierra Leone, one of the most applauded approaches to addressing educational challenges is the introduction of radical inclusion in Schools which seeks to ensure that schools in Sierra Leone are accessible to all children, in particular those children who have typically been excluded. ChildFund is happy to have been part of that call by the government to complement its efforts in that regard,’’ says Victor Kamara, Country Director, ChildFund Sierra Leone.

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‘’As an organization, Education sits at the very center of our heart. ChildFund approaches education from multiple angles and life stages. At age 6-14, our work centers around children getting the education that they need and are confident individuals.”

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“KOICA’s goal is not just to build classrooms, but also to create environments where young minds flourish, and Sierra Leone’s leaders are nurtured,’’ Minjae Kang, Deputy Country Director) from KOICA Nigeria Office. ‘’Education, the cornerstone of progress, aligns perfectly with the government of Sierra Leone’s Big 5 Game Changers Agenda. This initiative is a testament to our shared belief that the empowerment of young minds is a key to unlocking the country’s potential.”

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The project is implemented in 6 schools: Government Rokel Secondary School; Services Secondary School and Sierra Leone Muslim Congress Secondary School in the Western Urban Area with Fourah Bay College Secondary School, Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Secondary School and Sengbe Pieh Memorial Secondary School in the Western Rural District.

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“Today marks a significant step towards our collective commitments to increasing access to secondary education, particularly for our out-of-school girls in Sierra Leone. I am invigorated by the progress we are making towards achieving educational equity and empowering the future leaders of our country,” said Honorable Mamusu Massaquoi –?Deputy Minister 2 of Basic and Senior Secondary Education during the handing over ceremony. “It is through education that we can unlock the boundless potentials of our youth and provide them with the tools they need to shape their destinies. These facilities represent more than just brick and mortar; they symbolize our unwavering dedication to creating an inclusive and enabling environments for all children. ?These classrooms are not just physical structures. They are spaces where your dreams will take a flight.”

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Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is a government aid agency of the Republic of Korea, founded in 1991. KOICA?implements Korea's grant and technical cooperation of the ROK, supporting the socio-economic development of many developing countries. KOICA endeavors to combat poverty and support the sustainable socioeconomic growth of partner countries.

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ChildFund Korea started its relief work in 1948. ChildFund Korea expanded its programs to child protection and has played a crucial role in developing child welfare systems. It has continuously looked after children in poverty and their rights.

''ChildFund Korea is working hard in order to nurture children’s dreams, especially in the field of education, child protection and disaster risk reduction. Based on our mission, we have started the project since this year to increase access to secondary education for out-of-school girls in the Western area of Sierra Leone with great support by KOICA, says Jaeun Nam, Country Program Manager from ChildFund Korea.‘’

''Today, I am very happy to see this newly built school block and WASH facilities. In this new school block, I hope children feel the joy of learning and continue their studies without any barriers to education. And also, I would like to thank many people who have contributed to the successful completion of this school.’’

ChildFund?Sierra Leone has been working for and with children of Sierra Leone for 38 years since 1985, contributing to the country's development in the areas early childhood development, education, health and nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), household economic empowerment, child protection and advocacy, food security, disaster risk reduction and emergency response.

ChildFund currently implements sponsorship programming in the Bombali, Kailahun, Falaba and Koinadugu districts in Sierra Leone, reaching 2,511,039 children and their families with various child-focused development programs. ChildFund also implements non-sponsorship programs/projects in the Bo, Moyamba, Kono, and Port Loko districts.