Shortly after Alhassan died I discovered the joys of online shopping. [I might despise the theory of retail therapy but the reality is that it still works!] Since then, I have become one of Amazon’s most active customers. It is quite a performance getting stuff here still but I generally abuse the offices of any…

So tempting to ask, ‘Why me?!!!!’ but it is me + how many thousand [million??? not sure] others. The teacher training materials for the 2nd module are finished today and I should be on a plane out of the heat and the very confused dry / rainy season that has started here! but No!!! Icelandic…

Rafi.ki is an intra schools online learning community platform [or something like that!] Rafi.ki and EducAid have become good friends over the last 12 months or so as they have linked us in with a variety of projects and as we became the face [ok Jimiyke became the face] of some of their conflict diamonds…

Oral English exams last week, science practicals this week. Oh bliss! Oh joy!

The team: Sabrina and Alison [left to right behind], Esther, Lilian and Mealo [left to right front]AdvocAid has contracted EducAid to run literacy classes in the Pademba Road [Freetown] and Kenema prisons for female prisoners for some time now but we had our first get together and real training session this week. Sabrina and Alison…

Adrian and Swithun spent their last afternoon seeing the kids at their best: receiving certificates and prizes for community service done, top exam scores achieved, merit certificates earned, being talked through numerous presentations from the various clubs: Science, Girl Power Group, Peer Mediators, Believers in Action, Life Skills Group, Library Society, ICT club and more.…

Ho down for EducAid!Mike Ruse [my long-suffering best friend from Uni days] has been do-si-do ing and swinging his partners with the congregation from a nearby church in Southampton on EducAid’s behalf. Much hard work went into the arrangements and we are very appreciative. We promise to spend the proceeds well! Amazing what people will…

Obai Santigie and his brother Alhaji receive the keys after their months of hard work to make the school building become a reality. Drummers and dancers – part of the cultural celebrations. Cultural high wire performance – another contribution to the celebrations. Fatmata, a very young member of the women’s secret society. She has declared…

On International Women’s Day, 8th March, EducAid Lumley launched its White Ribbon Campaign. The White Ribbon Campaign is an international campaign of men working to end violence against women. An initial 31 young men committed to upholding women’s human rights: -to stop discrimination against women -to stop early marriage -to stop female genital mutilation -to…

Gaza’s team – Rice for the hungry winners of the intertutor group football leagueOnce a year, the timetable relaxes a little and, having worked hard together all year, we have a week of short school days followed by inter-tutor football matches followed by a staff match and the school outing to the beach. Last week…

Balla Turay, ex-EducAid student and ex-junior staff, is celebrating. He was interviewed a few days ago for a scholarship to Venezuela to study and thanks to his excellent results, his ability to express himself, and his Community Service certificate, he was selected. In a few months time, he will head off to start his ICT…

Yayah Kamara is headboy of the Freetown school and the image of excellence in attitude, endeavour and intelligence. He is also from Magbeni.A couple of weeks ago, I was summoned to an emergency meeting in Magbeni because the relationship between the school and the community had degenerated to such a point that a serious meeting…

Issa in the coldIssa has been in China for around 6 months. He was called by the Sierra Leonean embassy the other day for his impressive standard upheld throughout the term. This is what he has to say for himself: I became happy when I heard finally that I have been given this chance of…

Ibrahim and Yayah [our mathematical experts] pit their mathematical skills against the World!The only Sierra Leonean competitors, EducAid participated today in a World Maths Day. Although some schools seemed to take a long time coming online, our technology has held up reasonably well. The connection is horribly slow. We will get broadband one day [fingers…