Some teachers in Buma

Schools for Salone (SfS), a Seattle-based non-profit dedicated to supporting education in Sierra Leone, is intervening to support uncertified teachers in rural communities who work without being paid through its latest initiative. 

These teachers volunteer and work tirelessly in rural community schools to help alleviate education inequality. However, they do not have government support. SfS recognizes their sacrifice and aims to address these issues. 

Challenges Created by the FQEP

In 2018, the Sierra Leone government launched the Free Quality Education Programme (FQEP). The program aimed to make education accessible by covering feeding, school uniforms, tuition fees, exercise, and textbook fees for pre-primary, primary, and secondary school pupils. 

While this was a significant step towards educational equity as it gave children from different backgrounds an equal opportunity to have education, it produced some new hurdles, one of them being the provision of teachers to cater to the increased number of students in schools. 

With the growing number of school children in Sierra Leone, the demand for teachers has increased significantly. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Education (MoE) is unable to fund the salaries required to hire additional teachers. 

To address the gap, SfS is stepping in to support uncertified teachers by sponsoring them through the distance learning program. This will help the teachers gain the necessary certification, which will not only enhance their teaching skills but also qualify them for the benefits under the FQEP. 

By empowering these educators, SfS is ensuring that more school children receive the quality education they deserve, while also helping teachers secure better opportunities and compensation. 

Uncertified but Undeterred

During a recent visit by members of SfS to the communities of Buma and Ngolehun near the Bo District, it was revealed that most teachers worked year round without getting paid. Only one teacher per school typically has the government recognised pin code from the FQEP, while the remaining teachers continue as uncertified volunteers. 

Despite the lack of compensation, these teachers remain committed to educating the next generation. They face numerous challenges from limited resources to the ongoing struggle to cater for themselves and their families. Yet, their dedication to teach is never waived. 

Some teachers in Buma

Schools for Salone’s Vital Support

Approximately 70 percent of the teachers in schools supported by SfS and throughout Sierra Leone are uncertified. To address this, the NGO sponsors teacher certification programmes, helping educators achieve the credentials needed to qualify for government salaries. 

Through the Ministry of Education’s distance learning programme, SfS is helping these passionate teachers gain formal certification. SfS is inviting the global community to join their efforts in supporting these educators who are the backbone of rural education in Sierra Leone. 

By donating to sponsor an uncertified teacher, you can directly impact the lives of those who dedicate themselves to nurturing and teaching the youth in Sierra Leone’s underserved areas. 

Donate by visiting this LINK. By donating, you are sponsoring a teacher to complete a three-year Higher Teacher Certificate (HTC) therefore making a lasting difference in the lives of countless students and the communities they belong to. 

About Schools For Salone

Founded two decades ago, Schools for Salone has become a beacon of hope in addressing educational inequalities in Sierra Leone. The NGO has built 44 schools, providing thousands of marginalized children access to education in the country. As another academic year begins, 16,500 students are set to return to Schools for Salone supported institutions, eager to learn and grow despite the challenges they face at home. 

Some schoolchildren in Buma

Schools For Salone, a Seattle-based Non-Profit Organization (NGO) expanding education access in Sierra Leone, has launched the “Full Up Di Popo Bag” campaign to combat hunger and equip schoolchildren with the educational tools needed for their academic work. This initiative is primarily aimed at relieving families of their financial burden as the new school year begins. 

Food Insecurity In Sierra Leone

According to the World Food Programme’s latest hunger report, most Sierra Leoneans live in a state of food insecurity. This situation has worsened, with 82.3 percent of the population affected compared to 80 percent last year. 

The report, which was done in February 2024, added that amongst those facing food insecurity, 18 percent of households are severely food insecure. Among the surveyed households, 68 percent spend more than 75 percent of their total expenditure on food. 

The commodities prices have also increased, with rice, Sierra Leone’s most popular staple food, significantly increasing. From January 2023 to January 2024, the cost of local rice surged by 31 percent, while imported rice increased by 38 percent. 

This has caused families to struggle to afford basic necessities, and the impact on education is profound. Some parents, who are not able to afford the basics, such as food, also struggle to buy uniforms, shoes, and even school supplies. This has caused most parents to start the school year in debt as they need to borrow money to provide for their children. 

Research has also shown that proper nutrition is crucial for cognitive development and learning. A child who attends school on an empty stomach is less likely to concentrate and succeed academically. Schools for Salone recognises this challenge and is committed to addressing it head-on through their fundraising campaign. 

How Schools For Salone is Helping

To alleviate the financial burden on families when the school year begins and ensure students have the tools they need, Schools for Salone has launched the “Full Di Popo Bag” campaign. 

The goal is to raise $10,000 by September 12, 2024 to provide scholarships and school supplies for young school children across Sierra Leone. With the “Full Up Di Popo Bag” campaign, the organization is committed to ensuring that no child in SFS supported schools starts the 2024/2025 school year with an empty backpack. 

This initiative also helps combat hunger amongst families as parents will now have less struggle in making funds available for food. The money they would have used to buy school supplies can now be redirected to buying foodstuff, thus nourishing their families and allowing school children to attend classes with full bellies. 

What You Can Do To Help

The success of this campaign relies on the generosity of donors who believe in the power of education. Every contribution made ensures that children in Sierra Leone have a fair chance to succeed. 

One can donate by clicking on this link. By donating to the “Full Di Popo Bag” campaign, you are directly impacting the lives of students who aspire to be educated and rise above their circumstances. 

Help Schools for Salone break barriers that hinder access to education. By helping address food insecurity amongst the families of school children and equipping the students with the necessary educational tools, you are empowering the next generation to build a brighter future for themselves and their communities. 

Kindly visit this link to make your donation. 

Schools for Salone (SfS) is celebrating 19 years of impact under the visionary leadership of Cindy Nofziger, the founder and current executive director. To mark the occasion the Seattle-based non-profit is hosting a benefit dinner to thank its community of supporters. Cindy will also transition to a new role and welcome her successor.

The dinner will take place on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 4:30 PM at the Metropolist: 2931 1st Avenue South, Suite A, Seattle, WA. Tickets are $150 and can be purchased here; https://shorturl.at/MzQPo  

The theme for this year’s celebration, “Building Brighter Futures” reflects the organization’s commitment to creating a brighter future for the communities it serves in Sierra Leone.

Purpose of The Schools for Salone Annual Fundraising Dinner

SfS hosts an annual fall fundraising event to connect with supporters and donors in the community. This year’s dinner is the first in two years and will be giving supporters an update to the organization’s activities so far. 

The event raises funds to support activities for the following year as SfS provides holistic solutions to improve education in Sierra Leone. 

SfS stands out because it works hand-in-hand with local organizations. SfS raises the money, sends them to local organizations to support their programs, and monitors progress. 

Unlike many organizations that focus on one aspect of education, SfS takes a comprehensive approach. They work on girls’ education, school building, teachers training, literacy and providing learning materials to school children. 

SfS has developed a system through local partnerships to increase access to quality education. They offer reusable sanitary pads and reproductive education, reducing teenage pregnancy rates to zero in participating schools. 

They also sponsor teacher certification programs and literacy education for educators. Additionally, they supply school materials and bicycles for students in rural areas. 

Newsletters and other materials were used to update supporters on SfS activities. However, this year’s dinner will showcase developments from the past two years. 

Vickie Remoe, SfS board member and keynote speaker for the event, emphasized the need to communicate the NGO’s activities to their donors. 

“All this work is made possible through individual donations as well as funding from foundations. It’s critical to the work that we do and always make sure that the people who support our work know that the funds that they donate are really making an impact,” she said. 

Speakers at this Year’s Schools for Salone Fundraising Dinner

This year’s dinner will feature three distinguished speakers: Allison Sinning, Cindy Nofziger, and Vickie Remoe. Each speaker brings a wealth of experience and unique perspectives, offering insights and inspiration. 

Cindy Nofziger: Cindy is the founder and current Executive Director of SfS. After serving in the US Peace Corps in Sierra Leone from 1985 to 1987, she developed a deep connection to the country. She returned in 2004 to start SfS. With 19 years of experience in non-profit organization management, Cindy excels in philanthropy, policy analysis, youth development, volunteer management, and public speaking. The event will honor her as she transitions to a new role within the organization and passes the baton to her successor. 

Allison Sinning: Allison served in the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone from 2010-2012. Shehas experience working with NGOs and social services such as the Peace Corps Liberia, Lutheran Social Services of SD, EmBe, and SfS. Allison  is passionate about education, civil rights and social action, among others. As the current Programs Officer at SfS, she coordinates projects and activities within the organization. 

Vickie Remoe: Vickie has served as an SfS board member since 2022. She first learned about the organization in 2011 during an interview with Madieu Williams and has followed its work since then. A proud Sierra Leonean woman, Vickie is dedicated to promoting her country and runs the Make Sierra Leone Famous podcast to that end. She also owns VR&C Marketing, a leading digital communications firm in West Africa, serving clients across the region and in the diaspora. Through SfS, Vickie helps mobilize resources to support education and the wellbeing of children in Sierra Leone.  

Those who can not attend can still make a donation using the same link. Your support will help SfS reach their fundraising goals for the upcoming year. 

About Schools For Salone

Founded two decades ago, Schools for Salone has become a beacon of hope in addressing educational inequalities in Sierra Leone. The NGO has built 44 schools, providing thousands of marginalized children access to education in the country. As another academic year begins, 16,500 students are set to return to Schools for Salone supported institutions, eager to learn and grow despite the challenges they face at home. 

Schools for Salone (SfS) has improved hygiene at FAWE School in Wara Wara Yagalah Chiefdom in Kabala, Koinadugu District. The school now has three new solar-powered taps and a latrine, providing 140 girls and their teachers with adequate toilet facilities and access to safe drinking water. FAWE has received three new classrooms thanks to SFS, with two more repaired.

Kabala district faces challenges in accessing water, especially during the dry season. FAWE School, located within the district, is not exempt from these difficulties. Students often arrive late to fetch water before and after school.

“Most of our students have no other option but to walk to nearby communities to fetch water for school, which disrupts their learning,” said Elizabeth Haja Korio, the Headmistress of FAWE School, Kabala.

The school administration highly appreciates the repairs and the new appearance of the toilets. Students and teachers no longer have to wait until they get home to use the restroom, saving them from strain and embarrassment.

According to UNICEF, only 16 percent of Sierra Leoneans have access to essential sanitation services, and 58 percent have no access to basic water services.

“All of our schools have access to water and sanitation and are aligned with the Global Goal—SDG 6—availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,” said Cindy Nofziger, SfS founder and Executive Director. Nofziger was a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone in the 80s.

Clinton Caulker, an SFS partner in the Northern Province serving Falaba and Kabaka districts, regularly conducts community outreach. He checks on school buildings and remote areas in need of schools.

“We took on this project because, during my visit, I noticed dilapidated buildings, lack of water supply, and inadequate toilet facilities, especially unsuitable for the attending girls,” said Caulker. The FAWE school is the only all-girls school in Kabala for students from low-income families. In addition to academic instruction, the school also offers vocational education in areas such as tailoring, carpentry, catering, and masonry.

SFS has constructed 43 school buildings in Sierra Leone in the past two decades. This Seattle-based non-profit organization has expanded access to quality education through local partners since 2005.

This workshop is an integral component of SfS’s ongoing program to support teachers and library assistants, with the primary goal of fostering a love for reading among children.

The program, however, goes beyond theoretical knowledge, as it is carefully designed to be hands-on and practical, allowing participants to engage in meaningful activities. The sessions are tailored to enhance teachers’ understanding of effectively utilizing donated books to enrich the curriculum, managing school and community libraries, refining reading promotion skills, implementing sound records management, and employing effective monitoring techniques.

The expected outcome of the workshop is for teachers and library assistants to experience high competence and confidence in promoting reading within their respective schools and community libraries.

In addition, SfS has committed to supporting a school and two community libraries by furnishing them with current prescribed textbooks and supplementary reading materials as part of its continuous initiative to supply books to schools and community libraries. 

The objective is for these books to contribute to increased access to reading materials, improvements in teaching and learning, a reduction in the pupil-to-textbook ratio, greater utilization of school and community libraries, and a decrease in the financial burden on parents and teachers in rural areas due to reduced book purchasing costs.

On November 14, our community came together to celebrate our partners in Sierra Leone at the Virtual Watch Party, and it was a delight! In case you missed it, Here’s a quick roundup. And better still, you can watch the recording of the watch party right now.

The Watch Party was hosted by Vickie Remoe, a Sierra Leonean journalist and Schools for Salone board member.

There were five highlights. Vickie explained how Schools for Salone continues to expand quality education through radically collaborative local partnerships. We then played five inspiring short films featuring Sierra Leonean education experts who lead SF’s project delivery. Each film spotlighted one School for Salone partner: Programme for Children, Uman Tok, Sierra Leone Book Trust, Clinton Caulker, and the Learning Foundation. Then, we were honored to have Nathan Jerome give a short talk about why the McPherson Family Foundation continues to give generously to support teaching training and innovation.

He was followed by Kimberly Burn, who shared beautiful anecdotes about how women who have fallen on hard times are getting a new lease on life thanks to the jobs provided by Uman Tok’s menstrual kit sewing factory in Freetown. She said that Uman Tok’s impact is twofold; it empowers girls regarding their reproductive health and women’s livelihoods.

The watch party ended with a short Q&A, and audience members shared how insightful the watch party had been.

Vickie closed the watch party with an ask—that members of the Schools for Salone community donate to help us meet our goal to raise $100,000 by the end of 2023.

Next year, like every year for the past 19 years, Schools for Salone will continue its mission to expand access to quality education to children in last-mile communities and city schools in need. Please join us by making a gift today.

Schools for Salone, the Seattle-based not-for-profit expanding education access to last-mile communities in Sierra Leone, will host a virtual watch party to highlight their partners. The fundraiser open to all friends of Sierra Leone and education champions is on November 14th, 2023. You’re invited to register now via Zoom.

In partnership with local community development and education experts such as Programme for Children, Uman Tok, Sierra Leone Book Trust, Kabala Area Schools, and the Learning Foundation, mobilize resources that make an impact. 

We’re proud to share that we’ve constructed 45 school buildings, 40 septic toilets, 25 wells, and three libraries. To date, we’ve produced and distributed 750,000 dignity kits with reusable menstrual pads to girls and community women and trained 150 teachers. The virtual event will showcase the unsung heroes working tirelessly to bring education to every corner of the country, from bustling city centers to the most remote areas.

There will be a screening of a short documentary that spotlights Schools for Salone’s radically collaborative, partner-led, and community-focused programs. It’s not just a film; it’s a journey through the stories of resilience, hope, and transformation.

But that’s not all; staff and board members of Schools for Salone will provide live updates. Have burning questions? This is your chance! Participate in the Q&A session and get insights from the people on the front lines of positive change.

Save the date November 14th and mark your calendars for 6:30 PM PST | 9:30 PM EST | 1:30 AM GMT (on the 15th). RSVP today for the virtual watch party here. Gather your friends, family, and colleagues for a night of inspiration and impact.

What role has education access had in your life?
My parents always stressed the value of education. So, ever since I was a child, the importance of education was imprinted in me. I came to the U.S. from Sierra Leone as a foreign student to do graduate and post graduate studies. That resulted in a 26-year career in Information Technology.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to take action to help expand education in Sierra Leone?
It is surprising how a small of donation can make a big impact in students’ education. For example, $50 can sponsor a student for a year; $100 can provide comprehensive training for a teacher. Those amounts may not sound like much, but they have gone a long way to help SfS build 41 schools, 3 libraries – helping each community and raising the number of girls that are graduating from high school.

We recently sat down with Perry to hear more about his story and to find out what attracted him to Schools for Salone.

Why did you get involved with SFS? What was it about the organization that attracted you
I met (Schools for Salone Executive Director and Founder) Cindy in Sierra Leone in September 2019 when I travelled to Sierra Leone with the Mona Foundation. On this trip I saw the needs and opportunities for help through SfS. I could see the shortest distance between what could be done and what would actually help people.

What’s your favorite part of being a member of SFS?
The best part of being on the Board is the personal connection to Board members and to Cindy. There is a camaraderie and a sense of purpose when you are with like-minded people.

What role has education access had in your life?
I’ve had the privilege of access to very good education all of my life because of my parents dedication to education. We left Iran when I was 10 due to religious persecution. When we came to the US I was an ESOL student but skipped 6th grade because of the quality of education I had received from my parents. I graduated from HS at 15, college at 19 and law school at 22. I was a B student, but always loved to learn.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to take action to help expand education in Sierra Leone?
Get involved – just do it. Travel to Sierra Leone so you can see it for yourself.