• About HCW
    • Our Story >
      • Our Impact >
        • Financials
      • Mission, Vision, Strategic Anchors
    • Our Team >
      • Melody
      • Nabs
      • Laura
      • Yaz
    • Board of Directors
    • Contact
    • News & Updates >
      • Recent News
      • Newsletters >
        • Newsletter Archives
      • Podcast
      • Video Podcasts
      • Magazine
      • Mission team blog
  • Child Welfare
    • Family Reintegration
    • Child Welfare Resources
    • Empower A Family >
      • FAQs about FEA
    • Child Reintegration Centre >
      • Family Reunification Workshop
      • Tour the CRC
      • CRC Programs
      • CRC Senior Staff
  • Global Health
    • Global Health Resources
    • Together for Global Health >
      • Publications
      • Meet Our Members
      • CBN
    • Mercy Hospital >
      • Tour Mercy Hospital
      • Mercy Programs
      • Mercy Senior Staff
  • Poverty
    • Village Partnership
    • Family Empowerment
  • Get Involved - Events and More!
    • Events >
      • Past Events >
        • Rising Tides Conference 2023
        • Golf Tournament 2022
        • Virtual Fitness Challenge
        • 2022 Go For Bo!
        • Golf Tournament 2021
        • Go for Bo 2021
        • Vision Night 2021
        • Rising Tides Conference
        • Golf Tournament 2021
        • Go for Bo 2020
        • Golf Tournament 2020
        • Go for Bo 2019
        • Rising Tides: The Future of Global Missions
        • Golf Tournament 2019
    • Partner Churches >
      • Partnership Meetings
    • Mission Teams >
      • Trip Information & APPLICATION
      • Donate to Support a Mission Team
      • Mission Resources
      • Missionary Training Centre
    • Fundraise
    • Volunteer
    • Internship Opportunities
    • Stay in Touch
  • Resources
  • Give Now
    • Give Now
    • Matching Gifts
    • Giving Campaigns
    • Giving Opportunities
  • Impact
  • PROGRAMS
Helping Children Worldwide
  • About HCW
    • Our Story >
      • Our Impact >
        • Financials
      • Mission, Vision, Strategic Anchors
    • Our Team >
      • Melody
      • Nabs
      • Laura
      • Yaz
    • Board of Directors
    • Contact
    • News & Updates >
      • Recent News
      • Newsletters >
        • Newsletter Archives
      • Podcast
      • Video Podcasts
      • Magazine
      • Mission team blog
  • Child Welfare
    • Family Reintegration
    • Child Welfare Resources
    • Empower A Family >
      • FAQs about FEA
    • Child Reintegration Centre >
      • Family Reunification Workshop
      • Tour the CRC
      • CRC Programs
      • CRC Senior Staff
  • Global Health
    • Global Health Resources
    • Together for Global Health >
      • Publications
      • Meet Our Members
      • CBN
    • Mercy Hospital >
      • Tour Mercy Hospital
      • Mercy Programs
      • Mercy Senior Staff
  • Poverty
    • Village Partnership
    • Family Empowerment
  • Get Involved - Events and More!
    • Events >
      • Past Events >
        • Rising Tides Conference 2023
        • Golf Tournament 2022
        • Virtual Fitness Challenge
        • 2022 Go For Bo!
        • Golf Tournament 2021
        • Go for Bo 2021
        • Vision Night 2021
        • Rising Tides Conference
        • Golf Tournament 2021
        • Go for Bo 2020
        • Golf Tournament 2020
        • Go for Bo 2019
        • Rising Tides: The Future of Global Missions
        • Golf Tournament 2019
    • Partner Churches >
      • Partnership Meetings
    • Mission Teams >
      • Trip Information & APPLICATION
      • Donate to Support a Mission Team
      • Mission Resources
      • Missionary Training Centre
    • Fundraise
    • Volunteer
    • Internship Opportunities
    • Stay in Touch
  • Resources
  • Give Now
    • Give Now
    • Matching Gifts
    • Giving Campaigns
    • Giving Opportunities
  • Impact
  • PROGRAMS

Our latest news

Building the future of Sierra Leone

12/8/2020

0 Comments

 
I told my family I would become an engineer so I could help rebuild."
​Abdulai Sumaila, Child Reintegration Centre alumnus
Picture
In Abdulai Sumaila’s home village of Bumpeh,a small town in the southern province of Sierra Leone, most families survive on subsistence farming, as they have for decades. Farming is the mainstay of rural families who mostly grow rice and cassava for their own consumption (Source: USAID.)  In Bumpeh, school was not a high priority for children, who are needed to help in the fields.  Abdulai and his five siblings enjoyed a simple life with their parents, who augmented their meager farming income by teaching and petty trading.  

When the chaos of the civil war came to Bumpeh, Abdulai and his siblings were separated from their parents, leaving them to be raised by various relatives who used them for farm labor.  “I would wake up at 4 AM and go to the farm,” Abdulai remembers, “I could only return back home in the evening.” During that desperate time, the family was focused solely on survival. School was out of the question for the children.  Eventually the siblings learned that their parents had died, and their uncle and grandmother took sole responsibility for them.

When the war finally ended in 2002, a field supervisor from the newly launched Child Rescue Centre (CRC) who had an affiliation with Bumpeh came there to investigate the welfare of the children. Most of the villagers were desperately poor and wanted their children to go to the CRC, where they believed they would have a chance at a better life and the opportunity to go to school.  “In the village there were a lot of children in need.  The only chance I had over the rest of the children is that they saw potential in me,” Abdulai says.
After many meetings with the village chieftains, it was decided that seven children from the neediest families would go live in the CRC’s residential program, including 10-year-old Abdulai, who was the youngest in his family.    

Abdulai’s uncle vehemently opposed his admission to the CRC. But Abdulai’s grandmother wanted him to go to school and her will prevailed. Abdulai became one of the original 40 children taken in as residents at the CRC.

In spite of missing several years of school, he skipped ahead to Class 3, then skipped again to Class 5.  After passing the National Primary School Examination with a high score, Abdulai was admitted to the prestigious Christ the King College, an all-boys school near the CRC, along with several other CRC boys.  

In many ways, Abdulai loved his new life in the residential centre, and his memories are mostly happy. “Growing up at the CRC my life was full of curiosity and innovation,” Abdulai says.  But he missed his family and the warmth of the village community.  “The lifestyle [at the CRC] was very different,” he says.  “A lot of the things I enjoyed with my family weren’t available, like gari (cassava meal) and kanya (peanut sweets.)”  

More than anything or anyone else, he missed his grandmother, the one who always believed in him. “My grandma was the only one I felt close to and she couldn’t afford to come to the city,” he says regretfully.  Sadly, she died four years ago.  “I’m very sad that she’s not alive to enjoy the benefits of me going to the CRC.  What my family thought was evil turned out to be for good.”   

Abdulai is grateful for the opportunity he was given to get an education and pursue his dream, something he doesn’t feel would have been possible if he had stayed in Bumpeh village.  “If I stayed with my family, I would have had no opportunities.  My family lives far from civilization.  And at the CRC, I got the opportunity to learn about Jesus Christ.” 

Of the six children in his family, he is the only one that went to school beyond the primary grades.  “All of them quit by class 5 or 6 and ended up in farming or trading or mining,” he says. 

Growing up in the residential centre, Abdulai was aware that he was different from the other kids at his school, and he felt a keen obligation to become someone who could make a difference for his village of Bumpeh.  “I felt a lot of responsibility.  I got to visit my hometown and observed things that were very hurtful--the structure my family lived in, the famous bridge destroyed by the rebels in the civil war.  The beautiful houses burned down. It made me think ‘who is going to rebuild these?’ The bridge in my home town was so dilapidated, residents can only use the boats to cross the water, and I’m a person who is very afraid of water! I told my family I would become an engineer, so I could help rebuild.”  

Propelled by that dream, Abdulai earned a scholarship to study civil engineering at Fourah Bay College in Freetown.  Moving to the big city of Freetown was a major culture shock for Abdulai.  “I was not too acquainted with the lifestyle or location.  I had no clue where I was going.  Everything must be planned and executed by me alone.  Waking up early, cooking, doing laundry, and managing my own time.  I was forced to embrace hard living outside the CRC,” he says ruefully. 

Abdulai met his wife, Aminata, through Navigators Christian Club at university.  She graduated from Fourah Bay College with a degree in philosophy and law.  They were married in 2019 and this year welcomed a baby girl to their family. 

“After graduating university, in Sierra Leone culture I became the head of my family,” Abdulai says.  “I am holding to my dream to continue to provide quality professionalism in every task I am involved in, for the benefit of my country.  I have worked as a supervisor on construction projects like hospitals, schools, commercial and residential structures on both a voluntary and paid basis.  I hope one day I can be in a top national position, where I can use my technical skills and spiritual insights to transform the lives of others in Sierra Leone.”

Abdulai wants to be a role model for young Sierra Leoneans, with this advice for the next generation: “Young people should believe in their dreams and work hard to see those dreams fulfilled.  Know the Lord Jesus, be humble, and respect the older generation,”  he says. His grandmother would no doubt be very proud of her grandson the engineer, who is helping rebuild Sierra Leone. 

​This article originally appeared in the HCW December 2020 magazine. 
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Follow us on social media

    Archive

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017

    Click the button to read heartfelt tributes to a beloved Bishop, co- founder of our mission!
    We Remember Yambasu

    Post
    ​Categories

    All
    1MillionHome
    Adoption Scams
    Attachment Theory
    BECE
    Bethel UMC
    Bishop Yambasu
    CARES Radio
    Case Management
    Cephalo Pelvic Disproportion
    Cesarean Delivery
    Child Reintegration Centre
    Children's Voice
    Child Rescue Centre
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    CRC 20th Anniversary
    CRC Alumni
    CRC Staff
    CRC Transformation
    Day Of The African Child
    Ebenezer UMC
    Ebola
    Education
    Family Care Program
    Family Strengthening Program
    Fengehun
    Food Insecurity
    Global Public Health Coalition
    Go For Bo
    HGWYB
    HIV/AIDS
    International Adoption
    Leprosy
    Malaria
    Malnutrition
    Manguama
    Manty Tarawalli
    Maternal Mortality
    Mercy Hospital
    Mercy Operating Suite
    Mercy Outreach
    Mercy Staff
    Microfinance
    Ministry Of Social Welfare
    Missionary Training Centre
    Mission Trips
    MTC
    NPSE
    Nutrition Program
    Olivia Fonnie
    Orphan Care
    Orphans
    Orphan Trafficking
    Partner Church
    Peptic Ulcer
    Prenatal Care
    Princess Project
    Project CURE
    Promise Scholar
    Pujehun
    Radio New Song
    Reintegration
    Rising Tides
    SAC Christmas Party
    Servant Heart Research Collaborative
    Sickle Cell Disease
    Sierra Leone
    Social Workers
    Solar Power
    Sponsor A Child
    Street Children
    TCM
    Teenage Pregnancy
    Trafficking Of Children
    Tuberculoid Leprosy
    Tuberculosis
    Ukraine
    UMVIM
    UNGA
    University Of Maine
    Village Outreach
    Village Partners
    Virtual Missions
    Volunteer
    Volunteers
    Vulnerable Children
    WASSCE
    Workshop
    World Pharmacy Day

Helping Children Worldwide is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization    |     703-793-9521    |    support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org    
©2017 - 2021 Helping Children Worldwide
All donations in the United States are tax-deductible in full or part.    |    Donor and Privacy Policy
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
REGIONAL AMBASSADOR
Picture
  • About HCW
    • Our Story >
      • Our Impact >
        • Financials
      • Mission, Vision, Strategic Anchors
    • Our Team >
      • Melody
      • Nabs
      • Laura
      • Yaz
    • Board of Directors
    • Contact
    • News & Updates >
      • Recent News
      • Newsletters >
        • Newsletter Archives
      • Podcast
      • Video Podcasts
      • Magazine
      • Mission team blog
  • Child Welfare
    • Family Reintegration
    • Child Welfare Resources
    • Empower A Family >
      • FAQs about FEA
    • Child Reintegration Centre >
      • Family Reunification Workshop
      • Tour the CRC
      • CRC Programs
      • CRC Senior Staff
  • Global Health
    • Global Health Resources
    • Together for Global Health >
      • Publications
      • Meet Our Members
      • CBN
    • Mercy Hospital >
      • Tour Mercy Hospital
      • Mercy Programs
      • Mercy Senior Staff
  • Poverty
    • Village Partnership
    • Family Empowerment
  • Get Involved - Events and More!
    • Events >
      • Past Events >
        • Rising Tides Conference 2023
        • Golf Tournament 2022
        • Virtual Fitness Challenge
        • 2022 Go For Bo!
        • Golf Tournament 2021
        • Go for Bo 2021
        • Vision Night 2021
        • Rising Tides Conference
        • Golf Tournament 2021
        • Go for Bo 2020
        • Golf Tournament 2020
        • Go for Bo 2019
        • Rising Tides: The Future of Global Missions
        • Golf Tournament 2019
    • Partner Churches >
      • Partnership Meetings
    • Mission Teams >
      • Trip Information & APPLICATION
      • Donate to Support a Mission Team
      • Mission Resources
      • Missionary Training Centre
    • Fundraise
    • Volunteer
    • Internship Opportunities
    • Stay in Touch
  • Resources
  • Give Now
    • Give Now
    • Matching Gifts
    • Giving Campaigns
    • Giving Opportunities
  • Impact
  • PROGRAMS