icalip beneficiaries
Kadiatu kargbo, 25, sorie town community
Before coming to ICALIP centres, Kadiatu had never attended school. Adopted at a young age, her new family refused to send her to school and she was forced in to a life of servitude, working as a maid, cooking and cleaning. She now has two children, 7 and 10, and usually struggles to support and provide for them. However, since attending ICALIP she has started petty trading, selling second-hand clothes, and her profit now usually surpasses Le 50,000 (around $11) per day, more than she has ever earned before. She says that ICALIP taught her the basics of literacy and numeracy, which allows more economic opportunities. "I can even sign my own name!", she exclaims. Besides this, she is grateful for the chance to attend workshops on child protection and health awareness. ICALIP allows her to have a greater understanding of human rights and she hopes the project continues.
Maryama awalu, 32, sorie town community
Maryama lost her chance to attend school as a child when her family was displaced and separated during Sierra Leone's civil war. Apart from some petty trade selling charcoal for Le 1000 (20 cents), she has been struggling to support herself and her four young children, aged between 13 and 2, her whole life. However, her husband, a teacher, supported and encouraged her to go to ICALIP centres. She now has the basic ability to read and write and is hopeful she will improve her knowledge through the project. She is also keen on persuading her friends to join her for future classes!
Binty kargbo, 29, sorie town community
Binty had to stop going to school at age 11 after the loss of her family during the civil war. She now has two small children, under 5, and is unmarried. Her main form of sustenance is from petty trade selling cakes and biscuits and she would usually earn up to Le 10,000 (around $2.30) per day. Now her numeracy ability has improved from attending ICALIP classes, so has her business as she now earns over Le 35,000 per day. She is proud of her ability to spell her name and is eager to attend more classes and workshops to further raise her standard of living.
mARYAMA UMAHTULAY, 30, SORIE TOWN COMMUNITY
Maryama's schooling was interrupted by civil war at age 15 when her family passed away, leaving no one to pay for her education. She now has three children aged 15, 13 and 1. She values the importance of education and sends her elder two children to school, despite struggling to provide food for them. However, with the help of her supportive husband and ICALIP, she has been able to develop understanding of literacy and numeracy. She now sells fish and has increased her earnings to Le 20,000 (around $4.50). She says the classes continue to improve her ability to trade, as well as her reading and writing skills. She would like to continue attending ICALIP classes as they also expand her knowledge of child protection, health and human rights.
alpha rogers, 31, sorie town community
Alpha is the sole man in a class of 40 women at the ICALIP centre. He is the caretaker for the community-provided school in which the classes take place and was allowed to attend with his wife after showing great enthusiasm and willingness to learn. He lost his family, as well as the chance to receive an education, when he was displaced during the civil war. Although he is a trained carpenter, he struggles to compete with other literate carpenters. He earns a meagre Le 130,000 ($30) per month from his carpentry and caretaker job at the school, with which he can barely support his wife and two children, aged 6 and 4. He is eager to learn to read, write and increase his business skills to improve his standard of living. He is also grateful for the extra workshops held by ICALIP and is keen on continuing to increase his knowledge.
abioseh king, 32, dowazark community
Abioseh left school when she became pregnant at age 15. She sustained herself and her children, 17 and 14, by selling palm oil, but struggled to send them to school, saying, “I barely managed”. She is now married to a teacher who supports and encourages her decision to go to ICALIP classes, where she attends from Monday through Friday. She enjoys the classes and workshops, saying, “It’s good for us to gain ideas.” Her aim is to carry on with education and would like to go to college in the future.
She is also a member of the ICALIP Learner's Governance Forum because she is keen to stay involved in the future of the project.
She is also a member of the ICALIP Learner's Governance Forum because she is keen to stay involved in the future of the project.
Claudia wilkinson, 50, dowazark community
Claudia had to leave school in year 6 because of extreme poverty caused by the civil war. She is now widowed and has three children in their 20's. However, they offer no support as they can barely provide for themselves. She is attending ICALIP classes to improve her literacy and numeracy skills for trading. Her main form of income is petty trade, selling baskets and brooms. She used to have an average profit of Le 10,000 (around $2.30) per day which is gradually increasing as her numeracy skills improve. She says she will continue to come to ICALIP because sees progress as her profits from trading have increased substantially.
Aminatta conteh, 37, dowazark community
Aminatta never went to school because of being displaced and losing her family during the civil war. Between her and her husband, an electrician, the family struggled to make ends meet for their two children aged 18 and 4. She was involved in petty trade selling charcoal earning no more than Le 10,000 ($2.30) on a good day. “I now know how to speak and write small, small English,” she said, “Before this I couldn’t do anything.” She wants to carry on with education, to speak, read and write good English.
Yeabu tuckeri, 45, dowazark community
Yeabu lives with her husband and four children aged between 32 and 28. They are all petty traders and support each other. She had never been to school because war-caused extreme poverty and she became pregnant at a young age. She is glad to attend ICALIP classes because she can now read and write. After class, she returns home and continues to study with the help of her educated neighbour. Her trading has become more profitable since coming to classes but she is keen to learn how to weave gara cloth and develop her trading skills further. She hopes ICALIP can provide vocational training in the future as well.
Binta jalmoh, 35, dowazark community
Binta was unable to attend school as a child due to severe poverty and family circumstances. She now has a supportive husband and three children aged between 19 and 7. She realises the advantages of having an education and is eager to continue learning, “I want to know more things!” she insists. Her trade selling onions and oil has improved as she has had the chance to develop numeracy skills. She is interested in further education beyond ICALIP and really hopes the project continues in her community. She is also a member of the ICALIP LGF student body which contributes to the future of the project.