How a sponsor’s dedicated support helped Abu rise above loss and poverty

June 13, 2025

A smiling Abu stands outside his school.

In communities like Serekolia in Falaba District, young people like Abu Marah face overwhelming barriers to education, economic opportunity, and personal development. Poverty, limited infrastructure, and scarce resources often stifle potential, forcing many to abandon their dreams for mere survival. Without targeted support and opportunities, the cycle of hardship continues across generations.

Abu’s journey began in 2005 when he got his first sponsor through ChildFund. Losing his mother during the war and his father in 2002 left him orphaned and isolated among seven siblings—now all gone. “I lost my mother during the Ebola crisis in 2014. Life threw another punch at me in 2002 when I lost my father. Life became very hard for me as the young boy that I was at the time,” he says, his eyes filled with sorrow.

With the compassionate support of ChildFund’s local partner Daindemben Federation, Abu was re-enrolled in school. This support provided him with the means to pay his school fees and purchase learning materials, ensuring that his education continued despite overwhelming challenges.

In 2009, Abu sat for the National Primary School Examination (NPSE) and began his junior secondary education in Mongo Town, located nine miles from his village. Despite the challenges of hunger and the long distance, he remained determined. When it was time to take the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), he transferred to a senior secondary school in Kabala Town. By carefully saving the support he received from his sponsor, Abu was able to continue his education and earn a Higher Teaching Certificate (HTC).

“Sometimes I sit back to reflect how life would have been for me, if ChildFund hadn’t sponsored me. The funds I received from my sponsor really helped me solve a lot of problems,” Abu reflects.

After graduating, Abu returned to his village with a mission: to give back. He began volunteering at the community school, inspiring young minds, and even assisted Daindemben in gathering data on sponsored children in 2022. His commitment to service continues today as he volunteers for Daindemben and the only secondary school in Serekolia Village, nurturing a dream of joining their full-time staff to further contribute to their life-changing work.

“There was this burning desire to give back to my community. I felt like I had received a lot from ChildFund. I didn’t want to be selfish. There were other people in my community in need of the same help and support I got from ChildFund,” he mentions.

Life threw another curveball when one night the wall of Abu’s home suddenly collapsed while he was sleeping with his family. Left homeless for a time, he once again turned to the sponsorship funds for help. With this support, he rebuilt his home, constructing a four-bedroom house in his village.

“One night, we were asleep when we heard these sudden sharp spikes. When we rushed to see what had gone wrong, one part of our home was gone. We couldn’t sleep further that night for fear that the remaining walls would descend on us,” he explains. “It was the money from my sponsor that helped me build a new house where I stay with my family.”

Abu’s resourcefulness extends beyond education. He carefully manages his finances, tracking every expense, including buying roofing material for his house. These funds not only support his academic ambitions but also help care for his wife and two children. Looking ahead, Abu plans to invest the funds he received from his sponsor in fuel purchases from Kabala Town to further boost his income.

When he isn’t teaching or planning his next investment, Abu finds time to work on his family farm. He clears shrubs to plant rice, some of which he sells, while the rest nourishes his family. His agricultural efforts and financial prudence are integral parts of his journey toward self-reliance.

A proud graduate of Ernest Bai Koroma (EBK) University in Makeni, where he studied social studies and government, Abu now teaches Junior Secondary School (JSS 1-3). His dedication to education shines in his classroom: just in 2024, every one of his pupils excelled in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and advanced to Senior Secondary School (SSS).