Providing resources for the advancement of education and training in Sierra Leone, particularly females facing social exclusion. Supporting the relief of poverty in Sierra Leone.
What We Have Achieved So Far
Building ten dwellings at Kwama for some elderly and vulnerable widows living in squalid conditions. (Ongoing)
Perimeter fence around school and vocational centre at Deep Eye Water has been completed
Perimeter fence around school and vocational centre at Deep Eye Water is being built for security
Classroom at Deep Eye Water underpinned and made into a community space
Palava Hut for students to study at Deep Eye Water was completed
The two homes for widows living in Freetown were completed
Work started on two homes for widows in Freetown giving security and comfort for widows who have been through so much in their lives, including a brutal civil war, Ebola, and covid 19. Their extended families were to join them, keeping communities together.
Improvements to the vocational centre at Deep Eye Water. These made the centre fully functional, with the first students starting their training in 2018.
SFFLS committed to paying salaries to the manager, tailor, catering teachers and a secretary, allowing them to build up a sustainable business.
The charity became involved with Deep Eye Water, where young women and girls caught up in a generalised poverty trap had been identified. A vocational centre was built to offer training skills in catering, and tailoring leading to qualifications and an opportunity for a career.
We built a bakery in the same area, a unique facility providing fresh bread to the school and community centre.
Family Homes Movement introduced us to Mayenkheni, an impoverished area in east Freetown where there is a school for 1,000 pupils. SFFLS dug a well providing fresh water to both school and communities.
Celebrating 10 years of SFFLS
SFFLS Board of Trustees
Verity Lowe
Chair of Trustees
I have been passionate about Africa since 1978 when I did Voluntary Services Overseas in Nigeria. I am committed to supporting the plight of the disenfranchised and have been involved with SFFLS since 2014. I was privileged to go to Sierra Leone and see the amazing work of Family Homes Movement with those who are on the edge of society. As a Christian, I believe God’s calling is on His people to care and support those in need.
SANDRA LLOYD
Trustee
I am a Shropshire lass born and bred.
My early career was as a nursery nurse working with disadvantaged children.
I love travel and lived and worked in Australia.
On my return I worked as a social worker in Birmingham. I returned to Shropshire and enjoy living in the rural environment.
My career continued in child / family care, setting up and managing Holy Trinity Church Pre School in Belle Vue, Shrewsbury.
I was fortunate to join a team visiting Sierra Leone in in 2006 on a short term mission followed by several other trips which resulted in a passion for the place and its’ people.
In 2014 Sierra Foundation for Life Skills was set up as a registered charity of which I am a founder trustee.
SARAH WOLTON
Trustee
I have been passionate about Africa since 1978 when I did Voluntary Services Overseas in Nigeria. I am committed to supporting the plight of the disenfranchised and have been involved with SFFLS since 2014. I was privileged to go to Sierra Leone and see the amazing work of Family Homes Movement with those who are on the edge of society. As a Christian, I believe God’s calling is on His people to care and support those in need.
CAROLINE MONRO
Trustee
I grew up on a farm in Shropshire and spent many years working in accountancy and finance. However, my Christian faith led me to retrain as a counsellor, and I continue to work in this field on a part time basis.
Although circumstances have led me away from my rural roots, my brother has been heavily involved with permaculture and researching sustainable ways of living. He lived in Africa and continues to maintain links there. This has given me some insight into the general issues that can face many African countries. I have known the founder trustees of SFFLS for many years and have felt a profound interest in their work and all that the charity has achieved. I became a trustee in 2023.
Rev. Clive Devonish
Trustee
I was first introduced to the SFFLS when I took on a temporary leadership role (after retiring as a vicar) of the church where the founders of the Charity were worshiping. In the past I have been involved with mission and visited other African countries including Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya. Sierra Leone was a new country to me, but I just love Africa and its beautiful culture, although , within that culture, we find lots of poverty and corruption (I saw this first hand on my two visits to Sierra Leone) and that has a devastating effect on high percentage of people living in Sierra Leone. What attracted me to SFFLS was that it was a small Christian charity and was making a difference to so many young girls by giving them hope and a future by training them with skills that they could use to provide an income. Of course, the organisation helps a lot of other people too.
It is a privilege to be a trustee of the is charity and to see many lives being transformed by this small charity and it’s supporters . Lord, let Your Kingdom come!
JEREMY NUTTALL
Trustee
Bio coming soon