Our Mission
To give children in last-mile communities in Sierra Leone access to quality education – through local partnerships build to last.
We envision a Sierra Leone where quality education is a normal part of every child’s life. We strive to fulfill this vision by working through Sierra Leonean partner organizations who know their communities best.
A Friendship that changed a thousand lives.
Schools for Salone didn’t start as an organization — it started as a friendship. When Cindy Nofziger arrived in Sierra Leone in 1985 as a Peace Corps volunteer, she met John Sesay, a local leader and advocate who would become her closest collaborator.
When civil war tore through Sierra Leone between 1990 and 2002 — killing 50,000 people and pushing 70% of children out of school — that friendship held. When Cindy returned in 2004, she and John, together with Joseph Williams-Lamin and Programme for Children, built the first Schools for Salone school in John’s hometown.
Twenty years later, that same spirit of Sierra Leonean-led, community-rooted partnership drives everything we do.
Our Journey
From Friendship to a National Mission
A Peace Corps friendship takes starts
Cindy Nofziger arrives at Masanga Leprosy Hospital in Tonkolili District and forms a lasting friendship with John Sesay, a Sierra Leonean leader who will become SfS's founding local partner.
Civil war devastates Sierra Leone's education system
A decade of conflict kills 50,000 people, displaces 2.5 million, and puts 70% of children out of school. School infrastructure across the country is destroyed.
First school opens — and a partnership is born
Cindy returns to Sierra Leone, reconnects with John, and together with Joseph Williams-Lamin and Programme for Children opens the first SfS school in John's hometown. The local-partner model is established from day one.
Officially registered as a non-profit organization
What started as a grassroots effort to fund a single school quickly expanded to seven. Schools for Salone formally registers as a U.S. non-profit, turning a friendship project into a lasting institution.
Expanding into literacy and libraries
New partnerships with the Sierra Leone Book Trust and The Learning Foundation deepen SfS's focus beyond school buildings — into the quality of education children receive inside them.
Ebola reveals the hidden barrier facing girls
The Ebola epidemic shuts down Sierra Leone's schools and exposes how menstruation forces girls out of class. Guided by PFC's Juliet Rhoman, SfS launches its first sexual reproductive health and menstrual hygiene initiative.
Reaching the far north
A new partnership with Clinton Caulker extends SfS's work into Koinadugu and Falaba Districts — some of the most remote, last-mile communities in Sierra Leone.
Uman Tok becomes an independent Sierra Leonean NGO
Juliet Rhoman's vision for girls' health education becomes its own registered organization — a milestone that embodies SfS's model: build local capacity until partners can stand on their own.
Celebrating 20 years, 47 schools and new leadership.
Schools for Salone celebrates its 20th anniversary with 47 schools built across six districts. Founder Cindy Nofziger transitions to Senior Advisor, and Allison Sinning steps in as Executive Director to lead the next chapter.
Our Model of Local Leadership
Community Request
Every project begins with a request from Sierra Leoneans.
Rigorous Vetting
Communities undergo a rigorous process to ensure deep commitment.
Direct Collaboration
Once selected, our team works hand-in-hand with village leaders to formalize a shared vision.
Our Impact to Date
Looking Forward
Join us as we write the next chapter.
Your Support Matters
Your donation will bring the hope of education to Sierra Leone — one school, one teacher, one child at a time.
Gifts go Further in Sierra Leone
Thanks to the lower cost of goods and services, your donation stretches farther—providing more books, more school supplies, more teacher training, and more opportunities for students.
Donate Today ›Looking Forward
Our mission is as urgent today as it was twenty years ago. We’re deepening our focus on quality education, expanding literacy programs and ensuring girls have everything they need to stay in school through secondary education.
Looking Forward
As we celebrated our 20th anniversary in 2025, Schools for Salone entered a new chapter of leadership. Founder Cindy Nofziger transitioned to Senior Advisor, with Allison Sinning stepping in as Executive Director to lead us into the future.
Our mission remains as urgent today as it was twenty years ago. We continue to prioritize local leadership—partnering with leaders like Last Mile Learning and organizations like PFC, SALBOT, The Learning Foundation, and Uman Tok—to ensure that every child in Sierra Leone has the opportunity to learn, grow, and lead.
Join us as we write the next chapter. We are seeking new partners, donors, and supporters who believe that every child, no matter how remote their village, deserves a quality education.
Donate Now
Reusable menstruation kits
5 bikes
Teacher certification
School supplies and materials