Schools for Salone

Schools for Salone extends a heartfelt THANK YOU to all those individuals, groups and organizations, both in Sierra Leone and here in the US, who believe in and support our goals and contribute so generously to the success of our many projects.

Without your help Schools for Salone would be helpless.

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars for their friendship and support and for the February, 2008 benefit concerts in Apen, Colorado and Dallas, Texas to fund a school in Maforki, the home village of one their members.

The children of Masanga Primary School for Salone Note Cards drawings.

Joseph Lamin, Director of the Masanga Children's Fund, for coordinating and managing the building of Schools for Salone projects through out Sierra Leone.

Cindy writes of Joseph: "He is one my oldest, dearest friends - we have known one another for over 25 years now, becoming close friends when I was a Peace Corps Volunteer at Masanga Leprosy Hospital from 1985-1987, and the last 4 years working closely together on these education projects. He is my brother. We have been through a lot together. Our friendship tested. Our trust in each other has provided the freedom to discuss these differences openly. It has only deepened our friendship and the trust we have for one another. Joseph is much, much more to me than a "business partner" doing good things for Sierra Leone. His love for his country and especially the children of Sierra Leone touches my heart every time I am with him. He stays in Sierra Leone to do this work, even though his family now lives in London. That is the hard part for him, to be separated from his wife and own children that he loves so dearly. He is the reason why Schools for Salone has the success that it has, in a country that we love so much, but one that is difficult for many things to work, to make things happen and come together. Joseph knows how to make things happen in Sierra Leone, what is realistic, what is possible. He has high expectations for the people he works with. "

Ishmael Beah, whose generosity, resiliency and tenacity to overcome his traumatic past, his integrity and love of his country, and his determination to make a difference in this world is truly inspiring, for funding the project at Junctionla, which serves 3 nearby villages, including Mogbwemo, his home village and for his continuing support in many ways of Schools for Salone.

Leslie Mboka, Social Worker and Child Rights Activist, Reintegration Officer and friend of Ishmael Beah, for helping to coordinate construction of the School and wells at Junctionla together with Joseph Lamin of Masanga Children's Fund.

Leslie describes himself as: "the founder and Executive Director of the Community Advocacy and Development Movement (CADEM), a right-based organization advocating for communities impacted by Sierra Rutile mining. We are involved in building the capacity of local communities to advocate on their own behalf in a bid to challenge the corporate excesses of the mining companies. We are also involved in community development to improve the livelihoods of mining communities. I am currently the National Chairman of Campaign for Just Mining, a coalition of civil society and human rights organizations working on just mining issues in Sierra Leone."

Zainab Bangura, Sierra Leone Minister of Foreign Affairs and former chief civil affairs officer to the U.N. Mission in Liberia in 2006, for inspiring us to collect books for a small children's library in her village, Yonibana, and helping us succeed with our first container shipment of books to the schools we build in Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone Book Trust for helping us provide learning materials for our schools and for warehousing our 1st 22,000 books through our Books for Africa partnership.

More Thank Yous

Books For Africa for helping Schools for Salone raise funds and send books to the schools that we build.

Bob Heavner and Sierra Leone Relief Agency of California for managing the funds that build Schools for Salone projects and contributing toward funding for Scarcies Secondary School in Mambolo.

Aspen Community Charter School in Woody Creek, Colorado for their cash donation for schools supplies and their continuing interest in the primary school at Junctionla.

Acequia Madre Elementary School in Santa Fe, NM for their dollar donations and their continued connection to Maforeka Primary School.

Lowell Elementary School in Seattle, WA for raising funds for schools supplies.

Richard Sabo for funding a well in Calba Town near east Freetown.

Paula Lavin of California for helping to build Kandor Primary School

Eve Jaffe Memorial Fund for funding Masanga and Buma Primary Schools.

Chris Thomas & Rembert Pieper for Buma Well funding.

Rob Frey for funding Sahn Primary School in honor of his parents.

University Rotary Club of Seattle for helping to fund Makali Primary School.

Sharon Parker for hosting a fund raiser Thai Dinner and Pranee Halvorsen for cooking it.