http://www.shineonsierraleone.org Shine On Sierra Leone Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:31:58 +0000 http://www.shineonsierraleone.org en http://shineonsierraleone.org/Goodwill-Ambassadors http://shineonsierraleone.org/following/shineonsierraleone.org/Goodwill-Ambassadors Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:31:58 +0000 Shine On Sierra Leone 2454342 Goodwill AmbassadorsAcknowledging our supporters <img src="http://payload7.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/2454342/selita.jpg" border="0" width="213" height="300" width_o="213" height_o="300" src_o="http://payload7.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/2454342/selita_o.jpg" align="left" /> Selita EbanksSOSL’s U.S. Good Will Ambassador Selita Ebanks is an international supermodel and Victoria’s Secret Angel. During her first trip to Sierra Leone with us in 2008, Selita was inspired with the idea of a maternal health program. Within 3 years, Selita has raised awareness of deficiencies in maternal and child health among millions of people across the globe and has raised the necessary funds to launch a new standard of maternal and child healthcare in Sierra Leone. We are proud of and humbled by the grace, courage, and power of Selita Ebanks. http://shineonsierraleone.org/Marathon-Team http://shineonsierraleone.org/following/shineonsierraleone.org/Marathon-Team Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:31:57 +0000 Shine On Sierra Leone 2453773 Marathon TeamHelp support SOSL programs <img src="http://payload7.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/2453773/lamarathon.jpg" border="0" width="277" height="127" width_o="277" height_o="127" src_o="http://payload7.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/2453773/lamarathon_o.jpg" align="left" /> What's unique about the LA Marathon is that nonprofit organizations can register 2 Person Teams for this race. Each of the members of the team will run 13.1 miles, thus completing the marathon race route of 26.2 miles. We currently have space for 4 teams. SOSL Director Tiffany Persons will run this race with her dear friend, SOSL UK Goodwill Ambassador Tara Smith. http://shineonsierraleone.org/Mission http://shineonsierraleone.org/following/shineonsierraleone.org/Mission Sat, 10 Apr 2010 16:56:51 +0000 Shine On Sierra Leone 352513 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/352513/mission23847_1200.jpg" border="0" width="960" height="143" width_o="960" height_o="143" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/352513/mission23847_o.jpg" align="left" /> MissionTo shine the light on Sierra Leone’s needs and create sustainable programs to promote thriving self-sufficient communities Our StoryIt’s a country that is the size of South Carolina. It has beaches with sunsets that will melt your heart. It also has some of the highest rainfalls in the world, and it barely survived a brutal 11-year civil war that was ignited by the blood diamond crisis. The post- war facts about Sierra Leone are not easy to digest. Sierra Leone is a country that is the second lowest ranked country on the Human Development Index, has the lowest life expectancy at under 45 years of age, ranks last in healthcare globally, and the average GDP is a mere $400, which makes it the 7th poorest country. Due to the horrendous civil war, it has minimal infrastructure (if any in many regions), 1/3 of the population has been displaced into slums, and tens of thousands of children are recovering from having been abducted and forced into battle. Despite encountering countless tragedies, the people of Sierra Leone are filled with resilience and genuine hope. With peace in their country, if there is one thing the people of this country can agree on, it’s that they are ready to take their optimistic attitudes and appreciation for peace and use them proactively and resourcefully to transform their struggling communities into thriving, sustainable regions. It was this unrelenting positive nature that also captured producer Tiffany Persons’s and filmmaker Rebecca Chaiklin'sattention when they traveled through Sierra Leone in 2006 filming separate documentary's. From the school children who were determined and excited to attend school despite the lack of running water or even a roof over their classrooms to the adults who wanted nothing more than an opportunity to work and establish a better life for themselves and their families, Tiffany and Rebeca knew that there was something truly special about the people and communities that they were meeting. This is their story. This is our mission..“Once you choose hope, anything’s possible."—Christopher Reeves Tiffany Persons<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/352513/new.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="400" width_o="300" height_o="400" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/352513/new_o.jpg" align="left" /> Donate Now<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/352513/q12.jpg" border="0" width="55" height="40" width_o="55" height_o="40" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/352513/q12_o.jpg" align="left" /> In 2006, I was in Sierra Leone filming a documentary. I lived in the rural diamond mining village of Kono for three months. Diamond miners earn $1.33 US dollars and a cup of rice - totally insufficient for them to care for themselves and their families. The village’s school, known as the Muddy Lotus School, was a dilapidated and a roofless building that housed 416 students. Torrential rains were pouring into the classrooms, there were nowhere near enough seats for all the students, and then there was the fact that some students hadn’t eaten in over two days. Yet these children were fully engaged in their teacher’s lessons, their hands outstretched in eager anticipation of being called upon. I had never in my life seen a thirst for knowledge like this or this joy for simply being alive. The men, women and children of the village spilled into the streets laughing, singing, and dancing in gratitude. It was quite simply the best day of my life.So I raised US$6,000 and completely rehabilitated the school (based on the needs given to me by the teachers and the village chief) with a new roof, cemented floors, iron doors, all new benches, and fresh paint for all interiors and exteriors. At the end, we had a school. The men, women and children of the village spilled into the streets laughing, singing, and dancing in gratitude. It was quite simply the best day of my life. And in that very moment, I decided to dedicate my life to making sure that every child in that village received an education. I founded the non-profit organization Shine on Sierra Leone. Since it’s inception, we’ve expanded to more than building schools and are actively behind computer and adult literacy programs, two comprehensive educational programs, a groundbreaking microcredit lending program, the Birthright Healthcare program, and a unique sustainable development and building program using the innovative earthbag method. Shine on Sierra Leone has done all of this thanks to the contributions and time of citizens around the world and sponsors. We are truly an example of paying it forward and how just one kind act begets more kind and productive acts.<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/352513/test3.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="95" width_o="150" height_o="95" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/352513/test3_o.jpg" align="left" /> Although many may have a scarred impression of Sierra Leone, I see the true Sierra Leone. I think of beautiful beaches, wonderful warm people, and an incredible generation of young people that believe in peace and a new bright future. Which is why Shine On Sierra Leone exists…because we believe that these young people deserve the support and opportunity to rebuild their lives, their country, and the world. We’re hoping you’ll join us on this incredible adventure and see just how spectacular Sierra Leone and our world can be…” div.col3 { width: 293px; float: left; } div.col3 p { width: 280px; } http://shineonsierraleone.org/Computer-Adult-Literacy http://shineonsierraleone.org/following/shineonsierraleone.org/Computer-Adult-Literacy Thu, 08 Apr 2010 23:21:08 +0000 Shine On Sierra Leone 350300 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350300/compuhead_1_1200.jpg" border="0" width="960" height="143" width_o="960" height_o="143" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350300/compuhead_1_o.jpg" align="left" /> Computer LiteracySOSL is rapidly transforming a once predominantly illiterate adult population into a literate and educated society The Facts<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350300/pic1.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="325" width_o="300" height_o="325" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350300/pic1_o.jpg" align="left" /> “Literacy is not a luxury, it is a right and a responsibility. If our world is to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century we must harness the energy and creativity of all of our citizens.”—Bill ClintonSierra Leone’s literacy rate is 38%. This means that roughly two thirds of the adult population is illiterate.So how is SOSL tackling the illiteracy crisis?In 2008 in partnership with ST Foundations' Digital Unify Program, SOSL launched a nationwide computer literacy program with computer centers in various academic institutions throughout Sierra Leone: Annie Walsh, Albert Academy, Fourah Bay College and FAWE. During the day, the program is offered to students. During, the evening, the centers open up to the parents and members within the school communities. To date, we have an outreach of over 6,000 individuals annually.Meanwhile, in the rural community of Muddy Lotus with just $2,500 donated by Darlene Frank, SOSL has also launched an adult literacy program giving the adults in Muddy Lotus a real chance at a successful and self-sufficient future.How can you contribute to the campaign to eradicate illiteracy?<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350300/2.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="200" width_o="300" height_o="200" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350300/2_o.jpg" align="left" /> Currently at our adult literacy program in Muddy Lotus, our teacher is working without any salary. To maintain this incredible program, we are seeking a total of $2,500 to fund the instructor salary and the necessary supplies.Donate Now http://shineonsierraleone.org/BirthRight-Healthcare-Program http://shineonsierraleone.org/following/shineonsierraleone.org/BirthRight-Healthcare-Program Thu, 08 Apr 2010 23:11:45 +0000 Shine On Sierra Leone 350291 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350291/baby_1200.jpg" border="0" width="960" height="143" width_o="960" height_o="143" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350291/baby_o.jpg" align="left" /> HealthSelita Ebanks is partnering with SOSL to launch a neo/postnatal healthcare program to save Sierra Leone's mothers and babies! The Facts<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350291/healthpic.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="325" width_o="300" height_o="325" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350291/healthpic_o.jpg" align="left" /> Supermodel Selita Ebanks and SOSL founder,Tiffany Perons. Half a million women die each year around the world in pregnancy. It's not biology that kills them so much as neglect.”—Nicholas D.Kristof1 out of 6 infants die before the age of 11 out of 8 mothers die at childbirth1 out of 5 children dies before the age of 5There is only 1 gynecologist and 12 doctors in the entire countryThe cost of a C-section is a mere $125 US dollars which is grossly expensive for most women in Sierra Leone and unsterile conditions and the lack of postnatal care or instructions are the major causes of high mother and child mortality rates.An ambulance in the United States has more supplies and medicine than the largest hospital in Sierra Leone.Government salaries for doctors at $100 a month and nurses at $80 a month (if they get paid at all) are among the lowest in the world.Sierra Leone ranks lowest in the world in healthcare. At the main hospital in the country, Princess Christian Maternity Hospital, there were only a dismal 273 C-sections due to lack of staff, hospital funds, and lack of funds for pregnant women and their families. Patients actually have to bring their own gauze and rubbing alcohol to be treated and many women die because they can’t afford a $4 plasma expander for their blood. So what is SOSL doing to change the face of maternal care in the region?<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350291/birth2.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="180" width_o="300" height_o="180" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350291/birth2_o.jpg" align="left" /> We’re thrilled to announce that we are changing these statistics! Shine On Sierra Leone is inspired to make Sierra Leone a safe place to give birth. We have recently launched a maternal healthcare program that will not only supply access to medical care, but to most importantly, listen. Listen to the needs of the pregnant women, by pregnant women and traditional birthing attendants and healers. The result: A comprehensive maternal and child healthcare program that will both honor local traditions and provide access to safe medical care, in an effort to promote healthy mothers and babies and save lives. We are training traditional birthing attendants to be an intricate part of the birthing process by training them in peripheral medical skills including taking blood pressure, administering pregnancy tests, weighing and using a a picture-based assessment manual (due to high rate of illiteracy) that successfully allows the TBA to usher women and children to hospital when necessary or provide them with care directly. Just last week we had 7 referrals TBA referrals to the hospital! If the statistics above are correct, one of those women may not have survived. This program is saving lives. At Shine On, we believe that adequate healthcare and maternal good health is an essential right and the foundation of a safe and strong future. By bringing together the wisdom of the region’s locals and the knowledge of the Shine On community, we are actively creating groundbreaking innovative experiences. Shine On!Donate Now http://shineonsierraleone.org/Education http://shineonsierraleone.org/following/shineonsierraleone.org/Education Thu, 08 Apr 2010 23:08:18 +0000 Shine On Sierra Leone 350286 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350286/edu_1200.jpg" border="0" width="960" height="142" width_o="960" height_o="142" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350286/edu_o.jpg" align="left" /> EducationSOSL has two incredible education programs which transform student communities of Sierra Leone into resilient & bright scholars <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350286/ed1.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="325" width_o="300" height_o="325" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350286/ed1_o.jpg" align="left" /> “Education is the great engine to personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that the child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”—Nelson MandelaThe FactsThe 11-year long Sierra Leone Civil War resulted in the destruction of 1,270 primary schools and in 2001, 67% of all school-aged children were out of school. Currently one out of three school-aged children are out of school. Education in Sierra Leone is legally required for all children starting at six-years-old at the elementary level and three years in secondary school but a sheer shortage of schools, teachers, and poverty has made it extremely difficult.So how did SOSL tackle this enormous educational crisis?It all began with our flagship school Muddy Lotus.Muddy Lotus primary school is located in the diamond region of Kono.  There are currently 415 students, six volunteer teachers, and one paid headmaster. In 2006, we transformed this school from a roofless three classroom building into a functioning and safe school. It took 10 days, 150 wooden boards, 50 bags of cement, six trips of sand, six trips of marble, 25 bundles of zinc, five iron doors, 16 workmen and a willingness to work from dawn to dusk. Muddy Lotus now boasts a brand new roof, cement flooring, painted interior and exterior walls, repaired toilets, permanent desks, and new iron doors with locks.Muddy Lotus is the first sustainable schoolhouse built in Sierra Leone, using the innovative earthbag method created by architect Nader Khalili. Inspired by the Muddy Lotus transformation, the government and UNICEF are now looking to use the earthbag method to build all schools in Sierra Leone.<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350286/left.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="200" width_o="300" height_o="200" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350286/left_o.jpg" align="left" /> For the past four years, SOSL has fully funded and supported the Muddy Lotus school. At the same time since 2007, we partnered up with FAWE (The Forum for African Woman Educationalists). In the past three years, SOSL has financed 5 primary and secondary schools through FAWE and 1700 students. Our sponsorship includes financing the teachers’ salaries, providing school supplies, paying tuition, and when needed building additional schools and toilets. Our Future? That's Our Business.Donate NowShine On Sierra Leone is partnering with Fundacion Paraguaya and their Teach A Man to Fish model to create something special! Muddy Lotus Primary School, our flagship program and home to 600 students, is preparing to transition from a donation-based initiative to fully community-determined and financially self-sustaining enterprise. It is increasingly clear that sustainable change is inextricable from empowered self-determination. To sustain the degree of change necessary for a thriving and robust Sierra Leone, SOSL needs to raise $50,000 by the end of 2011 to ensure that the transition gives rise to Muddy Lotus' highest potentialities as an institution for educational and economic empowerment. It is absolutely true that donations of every amount make a difference; our Spare Change campaign has proven that. To make my wish come true and donate whatever you can spare, please visit www.yoursparechange.org. http://shineonsierraleone.org/Sustainable-Development http://shineonsierraleone.org/following/shineonsierraleone.org/Sustainable-Development Thu, 08 Apr 2010 22:04:50 +0000 Shine On Sierra Leone 350176 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350176/susdev23487_1200.jpg" border="0" width="960" height="143" width_o="960" height_o="143" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350176/susdev23487_o.jpg" align="left" /> Sustainable DevelopmentSOSL has developed five unique projects that combine eco-conscious building with true sustainability The Facts<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350176/susdebuild.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="200" width_o="300" height_o="200" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350176/susdebuild_o.jpg" align="left" /> “Whatever good things we build end up building us.”—Jim Rohn As recently as 2006, there was no general infrastructure in the vast majority of Sierra Leone including running water, electricity, roads, and functional buildings.Sustainable development is truly about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In Sierra Leone, the needs are great but on a bigger scale, it’s crucial that after developing any buildings or projects the local community will gradually be able to support and sustain the project on it’s own. It’s about change not charity and empowering the people of the region with affordable and efficient resources, methods, and skills.So how does SOSL address the sustainable development needs?We’d like to introduce you to the incredible method of earthbag building that was created by architect Nader Khalili. Essentially, earthbag building uses materials such as rice bags, earth plaster (a mixture cement, clay and sand) and a thin layer of top cement, all of which are low cost and easily accessible to community members. The buildings are made without power tools, are projected to last up to 1,000 years, are aesthetically beautiful, are cheap and quick to build, and very eco-conscious. Due to the unique construction, they are naturally insulated to ensure that the interiors stay warm and dry during the rainy season and cool during the hot months.<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350176/susdevside.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="200" width_o="300" height_o="200" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/350176/susdevside_o.jpg" align="left" /> As of spring 2010, SOSL has completed three sustainable building projects including the Muddy Lotus School (which is also the first sustainable school in Sierra Leone), the Cuttino Mobley Recreation Center and Basketball Court, and two brand new additional classrooms built just this spring for the Muddy Lotus School.Currently being developed and built; the Adama of Dream’s school inspired by Adama, an expat from Sierra Leone based in Connecticut, who confided in fellow churchgoer Patti Cole that the 150-year-old village she was born in never had a school. Inspired by Adama’s story, Patti discovered Shine on Sierra Leone’s website and raised the $25,000 needed to build the school.Next up for SOSL’s Sustainable Development Program is continuing the tradition that began this past spring when a group of phenomenal high school students from South Central Los Angeles and the Buckley School raised $25,000 for the new classrooms, went to Sierra Leone for 3 weeks, and built the actual classrooms. Continuing in 2011, we will have an annual 12 day trip to Sierra Leone for up to 20 volunteers where everyone get to know the local culture, the engaging people, and partake in building our future projects. http://shineonsierraleone.org/Microcredits http://shineonsierraleone.org/following/shineonsierraleone.org/Microcredits Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:16:34 +0000 Shine On Sierra Leone 348339 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/348339/microcredit_1200.jpg" border="0" width="960" height="143" width_o="960" height_o="143" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/348339/microcredit_o.jpg" align="left" /> MicrocreditsWe've supported 5,000 women in having sustainable access to financial services and creating business that actively reduces poverty A $200 microloan changes lives.“We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give.”—Winston ChurchillHowever Africa, the continent which needs them the most, receives only 5% of worldwide microcredit loans. Microfinance organizations in Sierra Leone are far and few between and the need is great.So how is SOSL fulfilling the demand for microcredit financing?Together through KIVA, SOSL partnered with Salone Microfinance Trust (SMT). With a proven track record of success, SMT operates in the rural areas where SOSL operates. It gives agricultural loans and sponsors any mothers of our students who have the appropriate credits. In only three years, SMT has become a large important participant in the active and progressive microcredit sector in Sierra Leone and SOSL has been able to sponsor 5,000 women in the region.<img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/348339/smallguy.jpg" border="0" width="125" height="140" width_o="125" height_o="140" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/1533/348339/smallguy_o.jpg" align="left" /> With each microcredit loan at $200 US dollars and a repayment rate of 97%, this program gives the mothers of our supported students the means to start their own businesses and equips them with the necessary tools and training to not only run and expand a successful business, but also how to repay the loan. When the loan is paid back, the loan is given to another women and again the quality of life for women and their families are vastly improved. Ultimately, microcredit loans are reducing the need on aid assistance and directing individuals and communities toward more sustainable way of life. We’re proud to reveal that in 2009, SMT became self sustainable for the first time which means the interest it charges is enough to covers its operations of 23 full time staff members.