The kids kitchen: daily meals in the wake of Ebola

That’s it, we have completed the building of our brand new kitchen and dining room at the We Are the Future school in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Thanks to you, the staff now has a clean and safe place to cook and the children a proper place to eat.

We are in the process of putting the finishing touches: tables and chairs made specifically for the children and windows.

Thanks to your support, daily attendance at the school has improved greatly. The causes of absenteeism are now only related to severe sickness and the children are now hardly complaining of being tired or feeling weak. We can see that their overall wellbeing has improved since they are getting a warm meal a day at the school. The parents are really happy with the feeding program and want it to continue next academic year.

The inflation in the country is causing serious problems for families to afford a square meal, so, the children attending the WAF school are already one meal ahead of other children who are not so fortunate.

A lot of children had their homes demolished last year when the government decided to relocate families living in the shanty houses in the Aberdeen Creek, minutes away from the We Are the Future school. The school is not only a place for them to learn, but also to play and feel safe. Since the Kids’ Kitchen project started, many children stay at the school in the afternoon to study instead of having to go back immediately for food. They can enjoy a safe and caring environment for a few extra hours each day.

But we still need to do more. In order to ensure we can continue the program next year at an affordable costs to the parents, we need to raise more funds. Please consider making another donation today so we can keep this program going and keep children safe and healthy.

The participation of the teachers in preparing, distributing and eating together has also had a unifying effect. Mariatu Sankoh, who heads the kitchen team, got married on May 4th, 2016. For the occasion, the whole WAF staff participated in her wedding, wearing the same uniform. Everything was decided and organized in the kids’ kitchen. Another staff member, Jane Samura, is getting married on May 31^st; a different uniform has been picked and the team will all be present to support her on her special day. Many parents are participating in these events as well because of the good relations that have been built between the teachers and their children around this project. The kitchen has become the heart of the school’s social life. They say the secret is in the kitchen.

We are extremely thankful for your support. Please feel free to pass this report along to your friends and family or share it on social media, so more people can get involved and help us keep caring for these children.

Sincerely,

John Donald Sandy