Schools were closed for the better part of a year as the country of Sierra Leone fought to end the Ebola crisis. The reason for this closure was to prevent the spread of Ebola since children travel to school on foot and are often in over crowded classrooms. In May of 2015, schools reopened as the Ebola crisis simmered down and each week there was a decrease in the number of new cases.
Children orphaned due to Ebola are in a difficult spot because not only do they have the distinction as being orphaned due to Ebola but they are taken in by extended family members who often are barely getting by. These children are especially vulnerable because they would be the first to be denied the opportunity for schooling or would be forced to work instead of attending school or worse.
Jericho Road has helped 116 children in the Kono district spanning across five Chiefdom's. The beneficiaries of this program were 90 primary aged children, 17 junior secondary students, 3 senior secondary students, and six high grade students. The program assisted with school uniforms including socks and shoes, exercise books, pens, pencils, mathematical sets, school bags, dried vegetable food, used clothing, and financial support to high grade students.
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| Two young children in their school uniforms |
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| Program Beneficiaries raising their hands proudly |
Please keep the people of Sierra Leone in your prayers as the country still needs them. There is a lot of post-Ebola work to be done and in three districts new cases of Ebola are still popping up. Jericho Road is still raising money for our work in Sierra Leone. If you feel led to give, please click here to give via our website. Thank you.
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