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News: Sierra Leone

"Jesus Has Done So Much for Me": Marie's Story Sierra Leone
Marie in Sierra Leone
Feb 22, 2012 -

Eleven-year-old Marie sits straight in her chair, looking as neat as ever in a little lace skirt with elaborate stitching, which she picks at while she talks.  She laughs easily and when she does she closes her eyes, throws her head back and gives herself over to the giggle.  But when she thinks about what she wants to say, she screws up her face in concentration.  Marie came into Children of the Nations' (COTN) care along with her older brother, Hassan.  Asked to describe him, she replies after her thoughtful pause, “Hassan is a good brother.”  She switches between

A "Brief" Trip to Sierra Leone Sierra Leone
Feb 7, 2012 -

Sixteen-year-old Emmanuel remembers what it was like to be without. Before he came to the Children of the Nations (COTN) Banta Children's Village in Sierra Leone, Emmanuel didn't have socks or shoes, and only had one outfit. He didn't have a bag to take his books to school. “Now, I have a bag," he proudly reports. "I have shoes to go to school and also I have three pairs of uniforms. I also have Christmas clothes every year and socks.”

Sierra Leone Twelfth Graders Share Their Plans and Prayers Sierra Leone
Jan 27, 2012 -

These days, an air of excitement and tension has taken over the twelfth grade classroom at the Children of the Nations (COTN) Mallory Jansen Memorial School in Banta Mokelleh, Sierra Leone. Students are preparing for the hardest exam they have ever taken—the West African Senior Student Certificate Examination (WASSCE), which determines whether they will graduate and go on to continue their studies.

Children Celebrate Christmas in Sierra Leone Sierra Leone
Jan 13, 2012 -

The week before Christmas, kids from the Children of the Nations (COTN) family all over the world gathered with their communities to celebrate the birth of Christ. Christian and Muslim, sponsored and unsponsored—every child got a share in the blessings and joy of a Christmas celebration. This year was especially exciting for the children because sponsors donated more than ever before, and also sent personalized Christmas cards to their children.

More than Nutrition: Josephine's Life is Saved, then Transformed Sierra Leone
Dec 29, 2011 -

When baby Josephine fell sick, her mother didn't know what to do to help her recover. When she stopped eating, and slowly began wasting away, her mother became desperate. For a baby born in the remote village of Ngolala, Sierra Leone, a simple illness can easily become life threatening. Parents often lack the basic health knowledge they need to make sure their children get the nutrition and care they need to recover.

Joy Through the Pain: Fatu's Story Sierra Leone
Dec 5, 2011 -

When Fatu was six years old, she was a bright, lively child who loved to make people laugh. But her energy and joy belied the fact that she was constantly in extreme pain. Fatu had been badly burned by a kerosene lamp when she was very young, and years without medical treatment had caused the skin to heal with her upper arm attached to the left side of her body. This caused Fatu a great deal of pain every time she tried to move her arm, and the other children in her village constantly teased Fatu about her injury.

Alice's Story: A Child of War Finds Peace Sierra Leone
Nov 17, 2011 -

Alice Mbayoh's life began at the end of a ten-year war that devastated her nation of Sierra Leone. Born in a temporary shelter in an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp, to parents who died within months of her birth, the words "home" and "family" meant little to Alice.

My Name is Alex Amara Sierra Leone
Nov 4, 2011 -

The following was written by Alex Amara, who was orphaned during Sierra Leone’s civil war and later came to live in COTN’s Children’s Homes. He spent this past summer as an intern with COTN–Sierra Leone. This is his story.

Children and Staff Work Toward Food Sustainability in Sierra Leone Sierra Leone
Oct 25, 2011 -

Fifteen-year-old Emmanuel Alpha is learning a lot at his home in the Banta Children's Village in Sierra Leone. Between school and family life, he is constantly taking in new ideas and new skills. But these days, one of his biggest lessons plays out on a patch of earth just behind the Children's Homes. Given the responsibility of a small plot of land, Emmanuel is learning countless lessons in patience, hard work, and the rewards of sustainable food production.

Christiana's Story: Better Health and Education Through Sponsorship Sierra Leone
Oct 11, 2011 -

Seventeen-year-old Christiana Kelfala was one of the first children to become part of the Children of the Nations (COTN) Village Partnership Program in Ngolala, Sierra Leone. Her parents are farmers and earn a very low income, which made it difficult for them to pay school fees and buy the things Christiana needed for school. Before Christiana entered COTN's sponsorship program, they were struggling to send Christiana to a school six miles away from their village.

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