Child Protection

Two years ago, Kadiatu’s future seemed bleak. At just 14, she had already been out of school for two whole years. As the youngest of nine children, she was forced to drop out of school at 12 after two of her older brothers left Sierra Leone for the Middle East in search of better opportunities.
Moving to Freetown from her rural home of Yilleh, more than 115 miles away, she hoped for a better life, but instead faced one of her worst fears: she could no longer attend school. “I was living with my older sister in Waterloo, but she struggled to provide for me and pay my tuition,” Kadiatu shares. “I had no choice but to drop out.”

After two years at home, Kadiatu moved in with her uncle, who was determined to get her back in school. Fortunately, her uncle was invited to a meeting with ChildFund staff, where the KOICA-supported “Increasing Access to Secondary Education for Out-of-School Girls in the Western Area” project was introduced. The project, based in Waterloo, re-enrolled out-of-school girls into one of the public secondary schools, covering textbooks, uniforms, and even backpacks and shoes. Kadiatu was one of over 240 girls enrolled in the program.

“I am so happy to be back in school,” she says gratefully. Kadiatu’s return to school proved to be a success. After her first exam since re-enrolling, she placed second out of 75 students, a testament to her resilience and determination. Her hard work showed that she was a young girl brimming with potential, once at risk of losing a bright future. With aspirations to become a nurse, Kadiatu is driven by a passion to help others. In a nation with only 3 doctors per 100,000 people, her goal is a noble one. ‘’I want to be a nurse after school so I can help my people and my country.’’

Ramatu Turay, the school’s principal, is proud of Kadiatu’s performance. “She did very well, and I’m happy for her progress,” she says. “I am also grateful to ChildFund and KOICA for the support they’ve provided to our school and especially to the girls who have been re-enrolled.”

New Facilities and Girl Re-enrollment Drive Success
The project, which has re-enrolled 240 girls in 6 schools, continues to make a difference. In addition to providing learning materials, four new classroom blocks equipped with furniture, water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities have been constructed at FAWE, Sengbe Pieh, Sierra Leone Muslim Congress, Fourah Bay College and Services secondary schools.
These improvements aim to address overcrowding and inadequate facilities, ensuring a brighter future for students like Kadiatu. Kadiatu’s determination to be educated is working well for her. Her performance in school is worth the investment. She has been promoted to Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3), another level in her schooling. At JSS 3, Kadiatu will join her colleagues to take the Basic Education Certificate Examination, ushering her into senior secondary school.