Sponsor Charles Mattia

One of the main factors contributing to poverty in developing countries is a lack of education. Young adults who are unable to obtain the knowledge and skills that universities and vocational schools provide are also unable to secure good jobs, provide for their families, and give back to their communities. In Africa, just seven percent of the population continues their education after secondary school. COTN and its partners recognize that well-educated professionals are the people shaping their nations and breaking the cycles of poverty and illness in their families and communities. By sending students in Sierra Leone to vocational schools and universities, COTN seeks to empower young men and women to find their place in the economy, provide for their future families, serve their communities, and raise their nation out of poverty. We have already seen students graduate from universities and vocational schools, preparing to serve the next generation as doctors, lawyers, teachers, electricians, mechanics, business people, and more. With the skills they’ve learned and the care they’ve received from COTN, we are convinced these students will transform their nations. Our current programs include sending students to universities or vocational schools to study Christian ministry, community development, and business administration.