Following a documentary on a popular SLBC program ‘View Finder’ in early 2012, it reported on a school and classroom buildings in need of repair. The pupils of the Gbonko-Mayeami village in the Port Loko District needed help. The children were having classes under some mango trees in the school compound which was not conducive to them gaining the best education possible. When it rained, there was no school as the pupils and teachers had no shelter or protection from the elements. Sometimes during classes, snakes would fall from the trees, causing the children to flee for their lives- ending the day’s school session.
At Milentash Primary School we work to compliment the governments efforts in reducing the illiteracy rate in our country and ensure that all children, especially the girl child have access to education in this area of Sierra Leone. We started a school building project from limited locally resources and raised funds from volunteer’s monthly contributions.
We started the construction of a 4 classroom block school building. Initially our main hope and aim was to complete the main part of the school construction as the rains were around the corner.
The land donated by the community was cleared and the school construction started using local materials- mud bricks and bush sticks.With the support from the local community, labour was provided.