By Sarah Armstrong | Director, Brighter Tomorrow for Africa
Progress Report For A Brighter Tomorrow for Africa Foundation (BTA) SCHOOL FEEDING AT UPPER BANTA CHIEFDOM MOYAMBA DISTRICT Sierra Leone, West Africa Upper Banta Mokelleh is situated in the Moyamba District which is located in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone, West Africa. The Mokelleh Chiefdom is the smallest in terms of population since the war ended in 2002. Many people in this area were killed by the rebels who entered the country through the South during the ten year conflict. It is also considered among the most backward impoverished area in the country – but things are changing! There is now a future for the children in Banta Mokelleh, because of a well-established feeding program for children who are now going to school each day in this area. Working with Children of the Nations intervention since 2005, A Brighter Tomorrow for Africa (BTA) has continued to provide the opportunity for the children in Upper Banta Mokelleh to a full cup of milk in the morning when they first arrive at school and then later, between 11am and 12pm, the main meal is served to now six hundred and eighty children each day. The meal is cooked by the women of neighboring villages and is served on a plate of rice, which is served with a palatable source. This can either in the form of a leafy vegetable as well as groundnut stew, beans and palm oil with fish. Due to better nourishment, the children are now in much improved health and are therefore able to more fully access quality education as their brains are healthier and much more capable of learning. There is also a component of improved agriculture for the community as BTA and Children of the Nations are working together to build and harvest a farm to supplement our program. Also, since the children getting enough food in the school community, the status of our school in the last national primary school examination result has improved tremendously. Last year results were very excellent, for example. 58 of the pupils who sat for the BECE examination all passed with an average score of aggregate 16 which brought a score of 100% successes in the Upper Banta chiefdom. Additionally, the extension of food supply to our schools has been of great help as parents are sending their children to our schools especially from the neighboring villages. And, there has been a great effect on the running of the school. According to the head teacher, the impact of the food program has recruited more pupils and staffs. Even the nearby villager like Mokonde and Hemabu villages are sending their children to school. Because of this, more attention in the children academic performance is good. The children are rapidly growing in their physical, mental, social and spiritual development. Typical examples of our cluster school children from Mopanguba primary school are: Kudus Kamara and Aisha Sidikie both of whom started school when they were completely malnourished because the homes from which they came had barely anything to eat. Now are never late for school and are doing very well in school as they are regular in their school attendance. As the year progresses, there is a high increase in the enrollment of pupils than the previous years. We hope to sometime increase the number of children supported by BTA at this time. There are brothers and sisters of our students who want to join their siblings at school, and we will must find a way to continue to provide essential nourishment to this special community in Sierra Leone, West Africa where one in five children die of malnourishment before their fifth birthday. Without the support of Global Giving, our program may have very well be in danger of being severely reduced. Due to the economy and other factors, fund raising in 2010 had become quite challenging and we did not have the funds to maintain the $4470 a month budget on our own. THANK YOU from all of us! Submitted March 1, 2011 by BTA Director, Sarah Armstrong and Upper Banta National Education Supervisor, Mr. Joseph Lamboi Contact: Sarah Armstrong Sarah.armstrong@brighterafrica.org
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