When the Journey Becomes a Barrier to Learning
By the time the school bell rings at 8:00 AM in villages in Northern Sierra Leone most children have been awake since as early as 5:00 AM to help with household chores.
And then there’s the long journey to school on foot.
In last-mile communities, children walk along bush paths, through rain, steep hills, and isolated roads. By the time they arrive at school, they’re exhausted.
Finda J. is in class six at Movement of Faith Islamic Primary School in Musaia located in the Dembelia chiefdom in Falaba District in northern Sierra Leone.
Before school she helps her mother fetch water, sweep the compound, and wash the dishes. Until recently, those chores were followed by an arduous walk to school.
“I wouldn’t feel well, my whole body and my feet would be aching,” said Finda.
“In class I would constantly nod off to sleep or stare blankly at the blackboard. I dreaded the three-mile walk back home.” she said.
Since she got a free bicycle from Schools for Salone (SfS), the journey is easier.
“Now that I have the bicycle, I don’t have to worry about any of that. The bicycle gives me confidence and makes me feel good. It also ensures that no one can easily lure me off the path or take advantage of me on the road.”
She’s one of hundreds of students who have benefited from SfS’s year-long bicycle distribution effort done in partnership with the Village Bike Project organization. This is one of several programs run by SfS to increase access to quality education in last mile communities.
Alie K., a 12-year-old Class Five pupil, walked three miles to school everyday after waking up at five o’clock in the morning to fetch water and sweep his compound.
“When I didn’t have the bicycle, I was unable to pay attention in class. I couldn’t focus at all. Sometimes, I would sit there and nod off to sleep, until someone would nudge me to wake me,” he said.
Since he got a free bike from SfS, Alie can get to school in under 30 minutes. He now has time to study in the evenings.
The changes are making a difference in learning outcomes.
Charles J., a teacher at Movement of Faith Islamic Primary School in Musaia, says the bicycles donated by SfS have changed the rhythm of the school day.
“Attendance has improved, class participation has increased, and enrollment has grown as more families see that the journey to school no longer has to stand in the way of learning,” he said.
Two Wheels, More Possibilities
Even parents are better off now that their children have bikes.
For Diamba K., mother of a student in Musaia, the bikes bring peace of mind.
“Because children have to walk such a long distance to get to school, I was constantly afraid of anything happening to my daughter. There are kidnappers on the way who grab children and because she is a girl, I would think about the fact that she doesn’t have the same physical strength as a boy. Even if they don’t actually grab her, they might intimidate and frighten her badly.”
“But now that my daughter has a bicycle, I don’t have that fear anymore.”
Another parent, Mariama K. from the Kamayinbo Village in the Koinadugu district, describes how her daughter’s daily journey once caused her constant anxiety.
“One time, she told me that she was dropping out of school,” said Koroma.
“She wanted to drop out because she was afraid of walking in the bush. One time she got so scared and ran to escape. She fell and bruised her feet.”
Mariama started walking with her daughter after that.
Today, she finally sleeps peacefully. Her daughter now returns home early enough to help prepare meals, study, and look forward to the next school day instead of dreading it.
“As a mother, I feel so happy. If this bicycle intervention hadn’t come, I’m sure she would have dropped out. Walking through that bush every day, dealing with bushes, snakes, and dangerous wild animals, is not something a child can handle. I don’t even know how to express my gratitude.”
These stories remind us that a bicycle is much more than a way to travel. It gives children time to learn, energy to participate in class, and confidence to pursue their dreams. It also gives parents reassurance that their children can get to school and back much more safely.
Over the years, Schools for Salone has helped bridge that distance by distributing bicycles to students in communities in Sierra Leone including Koromasilaia, Makali, Bo, and other parts of the country, giving hundreds of children a safer and faster journey to school.
This year is no different.
Through the Schools for Salone “For Every Child, Two Wheels to Get to School” campaign, the organization is once again inviting supporters to help more children overcome one of the biggest barriers in education by helping raise $15,000 to provide 250 bicycles for students in schools in schools across last mile communities in Sierra Leone.
At $60 per bicycle, every donation helps shorten the journey to school, improve attendance, reduce fatigue, and give another child the opportunity to learn without the burden of an exhausting commute.
No child should have to spend all their energy getting to school before they can spend it learning.
Together, we can help more children arrive in class on time, ready to learn, and one step closer to achieving the futures they dream about.
Click HERE to donate today and help give two wheels to a child, helping eradicate the barriers that stand in their way of education.
