By: Fatmata Grace Okekearu, Bo City
As part of its ongoing support for the government’s Free Quality Education initiative, Save the Needy Sierra Leone has donated trunks of books to the Bo District Education Committee and several Methodist Primary Schools in Bo City and Karleh Community, Lugbu Chiefdom, Bo District.
The handover of educational materials took place on separate occasions, with Madam Violet Lenger-Fofanah, Country Director of Save the Needy Sierra Leone, emphasizing that education remains the organization’s top priority one that cannot be compromised despite operational challenges.
Madam Lenger-Fofanah explained that the donation aims to provide schools without libraries with essential reading resources. The books are intended to improve children’s reading fluency, bridge spelling gaps, and expand their vocabulary and overall knowledge.
Speaking to community leaders and stakeholders in Bo and Karleh, she stressed that the project targets remote primary schools that face limited access to reading materials. “Our goal is to encourage regular reading habits among pupils and strengthen their learning experience,” she said.
Each trunk contains approximately 185 supplementary books, and Madam Lenger-Fofanah urged school authorities to ensure the materials are used responsibly and safeguarded against misuse.
During separate ceremonies in both communities, local officials and school administrators pledged to closely monitor and protect the donated resources from theft or resale.
This donation follows a recent initiative by Save the Needy Sierra Leone, which conducted a teacher librarian training workshop at Hope Royal College in Bo. Selected teachers were equipped with library management skills and trained to serve as literacy ambassadors to improve pupils’ reading abilities and foster a culture of reading.
The foundation’s combined efforts are widely regarded as an important boost to Sierra Leone’s education sector, particularly in underserved areas where access to books remains a critical challenge.