Halimatu Sadia
The Sierra Leone Aid Initiative (SLAI) has provided educational support, including school supplies, uniforms, and cash for school fees, to less privileged and orphaned children in Sierra Leone to promote the government’s free quality education drive.
Sponsored by Dr. Jonathan Rose and Aunty Mimie Mogaka,with support from the Grace Lutheran Church in Minnesota, SLAI has been conducting annual donations to vulnerable students in Freetown and across the country since 2021.
On 31st August, 2025, SLAI donated school materials and food items to the Children In Need Orphanage Home situated at Mayieme, Old Road Allen Town community.
The donated items include bags of rice, gallons of cooking oil, packs of beans, pepper, salt, bottles of mayonnaise, packs of tea bags, sugar, sanitary pads, laundering soap, drinking water, toothpaste, toothbrushes and school items like uniforms, bags, exercise and text books, pens, and pencils, which benefitted seven-eight children in need.
On the same day, SLAI also visited the Abitus Orphanage Home and the Abitus Islamic Pre-Primary and Secondary School located at Mile 6, Fullah Town, Newton in the Port Loko district, where they made similar donated of food items and school materials to fifty pupils.
SLAI Team also embarked on a 2-day trip to Kono district on 3rd September, and supported two hundred and fifty less privileged kids with similar donations at the KDEC Primary School at Nemesedu village in the Kamaa chiefdom, Kono district.
Similarly, on 5th September, SLAI Team left Freetown for Makandeh village in Yoni Mamailla chiefdom in Mile 91,Tonkolili district, where they supported 100 children with the same school and learning materials and assorted food items.
SLAI also donated a Canoe boat to the residents of the villageas a source of transportation.
Country Director of SLAI, Madam Theresa Rose, said the residents have long been crying for support with a boat, especially for their children who have to ferry across the river to school. She said SLAI also donated brand new zincs to the community in response to their call for help to renovate the community’s Central Mosque.
She said the team returned to Freetown and held similar donations to thirty-three pupils from Calvary Primary School at Kissy, who benefited from essential school materials handed over to Reverend Vincent Momoh.
Also, eight bags of cement each were donated to the Success International Academy School and Glorious International School, in support of their ongoing building construction projects.
On 7th September 2025, SLAI made its last donation for the year in Freetown, from which three hundred kids benefitedfrom school and learning. School that benefitted from the donation include, the Government Model Secondary School, Sham Sierra, Royal International, Cambridge School, Success International School, Bright Legacy Academy, Glorious International School, New Creation, SLMB, Agape Elementary Academy, Ansaru Islamic School, New Apostolic School, FTC, Excellence Preparatory, Lord’s Mission School, Zion Ministry, Sam Mary Preparatory, Omls Nike preparatory, Children In Crisis Primary and Secondary School, Murray Town Islamic School, Hisremite Academy, Our Lady of Mount Caramel School, Achievers Preparatory School
24 Services Secondary School, Chaw Primary School and Gracebell School.
With the CEO, Theresa Rose, and her colleagues, Halimatu Sadia, Rashidatu Kamara, Amadu Tamba Davowa, Patrick Matthew Sellu, Mariama Mamakoh Kamara, Umu Jalloh, Mariatu Sesay, Fatmata T Koroma and Alhaji Gboe, for almost a decade now, SLAI has done things way beyond what the public eye can see.
It can be recalled that for years now, during the Islamic month of Ramadan, SLAI has been donating food items to the elderly and also some mosques situated at Rokel Poyo Bar, Yams Farm, Rokel Checkpoint and Rokel White Tank with food items including rice, cooking oil, onions, sugar and palm oil among other things.
SLAI aims to give back to society to ensure that less privileged children or orphans can achieve their goals ofbecoming what they truly desire to be without worrying about school items and daily necessities.
SLAI aims to give every child the opportunity to become a productive youth that society yearns for. SLAI is on the verge of extending its hands right across the country to help every kid achieve his/her dreams without worrying.
