November 2025 Update 3

Greetings from Sierra Leone!

Technical Vocational Training Institute

We have received our first tranche of funds to begin setting up the technical vocational training program. We will be utilizing one of the school classrooms, divided in half, to provide training in soap-making and tailoring. Our first step is to get the classroom ready before we start purchasing supplies.

We also hired some young men to clear a section of swampy land on the edge of our property for vegetable gardening. An expert in the area identified this plot as the most fertile section that would require the least amount of inputs to get the gardening started. Edward, a former child from PDC who now has a degree in agriculture, will be guiding us through our next steps. Much of the land around the school is clay and covered with large boulders and sand leftover from the mining company that used to be based there.

Celebrations!

One of the primary teachers from PDIA married a woman in the village related to Finda. The traditional wedding was hosted at the orphanage and all of the students living there contributed to making the celebration a success. It was a huge event attended by most from the village as well as many of the former orphans from PDC.

Bus Troubles

For the past two weeks we have been working with various mechanics to try to get our school bus on the road after it broke down on the way to school. Unfortunately, the junior high and senior high students living at the orphanage have had to walk 1.5 hours each way to school in the meantime. The dirt road to the orphanage is badly rutted due to heavy rains and the constant flow of mining trucks.

Welcome!