Sierra Leone: Sponsor a Student

Impact an economy – For £25 a month you can cover the costs of one student attending our vocational colleges in Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone was devastated by civil war from 1991 to 2002 and then was further hit by Ebola in 2014. This has had devastating impact on the economy and lives of ordinary people. Most families have been affected by one or both of these disasters. 60% of the population try to survive on less than 90p a day, further exacerbated by higher costs of living caused by the COVID pandemic.

I am 20 years old. My parents, my brothers and all my sisters except one have died. I did not go to school because there is no money for my fees. I’ve had to break stones to support my daughter. I am so happy because of this opportunity. I want to learn something that will help me in the future and to support my family.

Student at Teams4U Vocational Institute, Waterloo

Vocational Training in Sierra Leone

T4U are supporting Vocational Training Centres in Waterloo, Freetown and Koindu, Kaliahun District, aimed at providing opportunities to learn a trade for disadvantaged young women who have had no or little formal education.

Since 2019, 22 students have graduated from the T4U Vocational Training Institute in Waterloo, and we have 92 students currently enrolled across both colleges, in either carpentry, catering, hairdressing or tailoring. 87% of our students are young women, many of whom trying to bring up children, and for various reasons dropped out of formal education. Typically they support themselves through manual labour such as breaking rocks in the local quarry, collecting and selling firewood or selling fish by the roadside.

Learning a trade can give these students a sustainable livelihood and remove them from the vulnerability of the streets. This college is providing these women with an opportunity to help re-build the fragile economy of Sierra Leone and help these families make a life for themselves.