Because We Can
Make An Impact

Our Story

Cindy Nofziger served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone from 1985-1987 at Masanga Leprosy Hospital in Tonkolili District. During that time, she befriended John Sesay. Those years in Sierra Leone and her lifelong friendship with John sparked the initial vision for Schools for Salone. Between 1990 and 2002, the civil war devastated the nation’s education system, highlighting the urgent need for rebuilding. In 2005, upon returning to Sierra Leone and reconnecting with John, Cindy established the first Schools for Salone partner school with Programme for Children (PFC). Over the next three years, Cindy mobilized resources in the US that funded the construction of seven more schools. Realizing the need to scale up, Schools for Salone officially registered as a U.S. non-profit in 2008. Between 2009 and 2016, the organization focused on deepening its impact by partnering with the Sierra Leone Book Trust and The Learning Foundation to improve literacy and teacher training. During the Ebola outbreak, the vulnerability of girls became apparent, prompting Schools for Salone to establish Uman Tok with Juliet Rhoman, a then social worker at PFC. Uman Tok was founded to provide support for girls’ sexual and reproductive health and menstrual hygiene in 2019.
Since then, Schools for Salone has expanded its reach, prioritized local leadership by partnering with Clinton Caulker, and intensified collaboration with PFC, SALBOT, TLF, and Uman Tok.

In 2025, as SfS celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025, Schools for Salone transitioned to new leadership, with Cindy Nofziger becoming Senior Advisor and Founder, and Allison Sinning assuming the role of Executive Director. As we look forward to the next decade, we are open to new partnerships, donors, and supporters who share our mission to give children in last mile communities access to quality education.

EDUCATION ACCESS
PARTNER & SPONSORS

Schools for Salone’s success comes from building strong partnerships. Through our collaboration with these organizations, we are able to improve lives in Sierra Leone by expanding access to education.

Building Schools Partner: Programme for Children

Programme for Children (PFC) is our in-country partner who manages school construction and support programs in Sierra Leone. Since 1980, Joseph Williams Lamin and PFC have constructed over 65 schools, countless latrines and water wells, and provided scholarships for thousands of children to go to school. It is Joseph and his remarkable PFC team’s determination and dedication to empowering children, teachers, and women that drives our success in Sierra Leone.

Training Teachers Partner: The Learning Foundation

Schools for Salone partners with The Learning Foundation in Sierra Leone to provide reading programs in schools and libraries to improve literacy and learning engagement. The Learning Foundation works with students, teachers, librarians, and specifically girls in junior secondary school. These programs target girls and low performing students to narrow the gap in achievement and retention.

Empowering Students Partner: Uman Tok

Uman Tok, Krio for Woman Talk, is run by a strong team of women in Sierra Leone dedicated to empowering women and girls through reproductive health education and access to sustainable, hygienic menstruation kits. Uman Tok employs local women to produce Days for Girls kits, distributes them to girls in our schools, and makes them available to other women and girls through a network of organizations.