Child Reintegration Centre Director Olivia Fonnie announced a plan to supply solar powered radios to the families of CRC students who are preparing for the upcoming mandatory promotion exams. Students throughout West Africa must pass the National Primary School Examination (NPSE) to promote to Junior Secondary School, and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to promote to the Senior Secondary level. In late March, Sierra Leone recorded the first case of COVID-19, leading President Bio to initiate stringent preventive measures, including the nationwide closure of schools, churches and mosques. To compensate for school closures, the Ministry of Education is airing daily radio broadcasts presented by trained teachers. A time table has been prepared and circulated throughout the country. The problem is, many of the families served by the Child Reintegration Centre can barely afford food, much less a radio. "The only form of teaching now in the country is through radio. But most of our caregivers are too poor to afford a radio," Director Fonnie says. "The country is blessed with a lot of sunshine. So the distribution of solar-powered radios to our children will help make the COVID-19 school radio program more accessible. This will help our children to continue studying for the examinations and at the end, come out with flying colours." Your donation of at least $10 will provide a family with a radio to help their children prepare for promotion exams, and if we raise at least $1500, your gift will be matched by a generous donor. Click on the button below to contribute to HCW's COVID Response.
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Reported by Victor Kanu, CRC Case Manager Hannah Smith has been named Senior Prefect of Methodist Girls High School in Bo. We are so proud of this Child Reintegration Centre student, and how she has overcome insurmountable obstacles in her young life. Senior prefect is a big honor, but also a huge responsibility, roughly equivalent to being the president of the student body in a US high school. As senior prefect, Hannah represents the students before the administration, organizes events, helps maintain discipline and academic performance, and mentors other students. Hannah was selected on the basis of a written examination, a verbal interview with the school administration, and her excellent academic performance. "I am very happy for this position," Hannah says. "I can now talk to my colleagues in school on issues affecting their education and other related activities. This has motivated me to study more to maintain my performance in school. Hannah comes from a very vulnerable family, and her childhood was not easy. For several years, she and her brother Paul were separated from their handicapped father, who was unable to care for them until his situation was stabilized with the help of the Child Reintegration Centre's family strengthening program. Hannah and Paul were reunited with their father Paul Sr after living for several years in the residential centre during a very precarious time for their family. You can read more about their story in our Fall 2018 magazine. Hannah has always wanted to be a leader in her home, community, church and school. "My aim is to be president of Sierra Leone," she says. Her best friend Elizabeth is proud of her friend. "I am blessed to have a friend like Hannah," Elizabeth says. "She has helped me change my negative behavior to a positive one. She is like a mentor to me." The Child Reintegration Centre contacted Momodu and Momoh's Aunt Betty, with whom they had hope to live when they first came to Bo (see earlier story.) The CRC offered to enroll the family in care, so that she can bring the boys into her home. With the CRC's support. Auntie Betty happily agreed to take in her nephews, and Momodu and Momoh were reintegrated to live with her and their other two brothers. CRC Director Olivia Fonnie, along with CRC staff David Musa and Mabel Mustapha, brought the boys to their new home, equipped with a brand new mattress and duffles, plus backpacks and school supplies so they can go to their new school, SLC Primary-Dambala Road. CRC case managers Emmanuel and Abibatu visited the boys at school to see how they are settling into their new classroom. Momodu and Momoh are happy to back at school. They proudly shared their writing workbooks with Emmanuel and Abibatu.
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April 2024
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