A Call to Business as a UK charity first visited Sierra Leone in 2007, when UN sanctions and roadblocks were in place, following the 10-year conflict that had torn the country apart at almost every level. The capital, Freetown was thrown into darkness every night, with no power to generate lighting and the country was vying with Malawi for the dubious distinction of being the poorest nation on the globe. Some of the qualities that have shone through all the difficulties are the resilience of Sierra Leoneans, their extraordinary ability to forgive and their capacity to embrace opportunities.
The first visit to the country was to explore providing support to the education system however the need and opportunity to stimulate the commercial sector became immediately clear.
As well as opening the way for business development in the capital, in 2007 A Call to Business embarked on a journey which led to community development in Rogbere, a rural area of Sierra Leone where tin-roofed huts and cooking on open fires were the norm and where the basic human needs of education, clean water and shelter were limited. Many years later we have seen not only the establishment of a school, a home for disabled children, pastoral care and community projects but also the emergence of an economic engine and activities.
Rogbere is one of a cluster of some 20 villages in the Koyo Rural Ward, some 26 miles from the capital Freetown.
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The big picture is to see Rogbere transformed from a struggling community with a history of dependency on aid to a thriving commercial hub, providing both employment and business opportunities for the local people.
The Senior Management Team of the actb Group in Freetown agreed together that if you could see a community like Rogbere transformed there was hope for every community in Sierra Leone, and took on the responsibility for the project. We agree wholeheartedly with them, and continue to be involved in planning, mentoring and fund-raising, particularly in these early days of transition and immense responsibility. Many of the staff in Freetown have also stepped up to the challenge, donating a gift from their salary each month to help resource the work.
The shift from ‘outside’ aid to management from Freetown has already made an impact in the thinking and expectations of the community. The Foundation has established a Hydraform brick production company, all profits to go into under-writing the costs of running the School and Home. A poultry farm has been established and other businesses are planned, all of this with a view to providing not only employment and training but also financial resources.
With little State provision for people with disabilities in Sierra Leone and widespread ignorance and prejudice towards people with these conditions, disabled people are either totally neglected or used by unscrupulous people as a way of making money.
Ro-Seleneh is home to some 40 disabled children ranging from around 6 years through to 19/20. Some are physically disabled, some mentally and some both. Physical disabilities are mainly a result of polio or cerebral palsy; other conditions include epilepsy, autism, hydrocephalus, microcephaly and incontinence.
Some will one day be independent and able to build their own lives; others will always need care and a home.
Ro-Seleneh is blessed to have input from a team of dedicated physiotherapists who advise on treatment and special equipment, prescribing bespoke therapy and exercises for each individual child. They have trained our staff to handle these exercises, which benefits both children and staff and further breaks down barriers and old mindsets which say that people with disability are worth less than nothing.
A major challenge is with regard to future expansion of the Home to provide sheltered housing for those children with mental disability or acute physical problems who will not be able to care for themselves and don’t have a family willing to care for them. With very few facilities in Sierra Leone for such as these, our dream would be for Ro-Seleneh to be their permanent home.
The children
The children’s backgrounds vary. A few are orphans, others have been handed over by families who are unable to care for them adequately. Some come from families who simply don’t care or think the child is demonised and a few were rescued from begging on the streets. Here are some of their stories.
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Education is still not seen as a priority by many parents, and Sierra Leone is a long way from seeing girls fully integrated into school, with many families seeing them as only useful for marriage and domestic work. Ensuring that good education is available to all the children in Rogbere and the surrounding villages is a high priority for ACTB.
Rogbere School of Excellence opened its doors in September 2010 as a Junior Secondary School, catering for 12-15 year olds. After being run by an external organisation for five years, the actb Foundation took over management in September 2016, with a desire to have greater input into the school and its growth.
Morie Saffa, School Principal and his team of dedicated teachers completed the first year of operations in July 2017 with some 200 students, 102 of whom were boarders. All 42 Year 3 students successfully passed the national BECE exam, which all JSS students must achieve in order to go on to senior education.
In countries where education is taken for granted it is sometimes hard to grasp how precious it is in nations such as Sierra Leone.
Catherine Koroma, one of our JSS 3 students, shares her story:
“I was admitted in to this school by chance two years ago. Someone told my mother that there was a boarding school in a remote village a little off the Bo highway and that the school was offering quality education. On our way to the school mummy was wondering whether she would be able to afford the boarding fees. To our surprise the Principal admitted me and told us that I would not pay anything and would be supplied with exercise books, pens and pencils. We could hardly believe it.
I soon learned that this was just the beginning of many opportunities in the school. Each pupil was provided with a bed and breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Three meals in one day was a strange experience for me – at home we had only one meal.
We were given exercise books, pens, pencils, erasers and for boarding students also soap, laundry soap and Vaseline. What has made us appreciate these provisions more is that we are supplied with these items every month. As for the feeding, our three solid meals are as constant as the Northern Star.
But the greatest of all is that we do not pay school fees or any form of school charges. In addition, our teachers do not demand money from us like they do in other schools. If we fall ill, our Principal quickly takes us to the hospital where we are given immediate free treatment.
We are very happy at school. In fact, mummy has told me that no other school in this whole country is providing such opportunities free of cost. We are very thankful to ACTB, our Principal and our teachers”.
Attempting to break dependency on outside aid is a key goal for the development programme in Rogbere. The businesses seeded by Truestone are taking on the considerable responsibility for this work, with many of the management and staff getting involved personally.
We are establishing a sustainable funding model. Our goal is that by the end of 2024 the Truestone Group of companies will be able to fully fund the ongoing monthly operational costs at Rogbere through a portion of its profits.
We would love you to join us and the team in Freetown on this amazing journey. Whether as an individual or involving others, there are great opportunities to contribute financially and practically on the ground.
There are a variety of ways to help financially with the Home and Schools from monthly sponsorship to cover basic costs to occasional donations to help with small/medium sized special needs or even large infrastructure projects.
INVOLVE OTHERS
Why not mobilise your friends, business or church to be involved in partnership with the work in Sierra Leone, both through financial donations and also by people giving of their time and talents on the ground in short-term visits.
Email aaron.goodwin@acalltobusiness.co.uk to start a conversation today