Founder members of the foundation, Bernice O’Brien and John Mitchel visited Sierra Leone along with Debbie O’Connell and three students from Scoil Mhuire Cork, (Leah Soden, Roisin O’Donnell and Sarah Healy) and their teacher Edwina Nolan.
The highlight of the trip was the opening of the Liam Manley Community School in the poor village of Mange Acre.
According to journalist, Hassan Bruz:
“It was the day when the age-old dream of the inhabitants was actualised”
Section Chief Pa Rok said the community had been without a school for decades.
We also visited the schools we had previously funded.
Ms. Madina Rahman, Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation, met our delegation and reacted positively to our plan to build the first centre in West Africa for children with Down’s Syndrome.
Mr. Usman Konteh, MP for Marampa invited us to meet the community in Maselthleh village to consider the possibility of building a school there for 250 children, most of whom have never been to school. It was a very positive experience and this may be a future project.
Maselthleh village, location for possible future project. Feb 22nd 2017
Roisin, Ber, Leah, Sarah and Edwina at the newly opened Liam Manley school in Mange Acre, Feb 20th 2017