Our Primary Focus

PROGRAM 1/BTA's FIRST PRIORITY

Children of the Nations– SIERRA LEONE

Established in 1997 to provide holistic care for orphans and destitute children, COTN has been partnering with BTA since 2003, in Upper Banta Chiefdom, Moyamba District. This strategic partnership has resulted to massive therapeutic school feeding programs with positive impact on the school children. The cognitive and physical development of our school children due to BTA's feeding programs has spanned two decades, and this has resulted in outstanding academic performances at public examinations, the most recent being a student who emerged as Sierra Leone's 5th best student in the 2022 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination. 1041 students currently benefit from the feeding programs with a projection of 1,800 for next academic year.

The establishment of studying centers in three villages with no access to electricity was aided by BTA's mini-solar project. 

PROGRAM 2

BEN HIRSH CHILD CARE CENTER

This is one of the leading child protection organizations in Sierra Leone. Established in 1992 in Nongowa Chiefdom in Kenema District. Its head office is located at 6 Kandeh Street in Kenema.

Professionals, on a voluntary basis, dedicated to the restoration of livelihood of children came together using their expertise to help and work with children affected by the ten year rebel war and recently the EBOLA epidemic, these children include separated children, child combatants, street children, sexually abused and abandoned, orphaned children and grassroots women for the enhancement of national development and stability.

Ben Hirsch is a multifaceted national non-governmental organization that works assiduously to promote the rights of children and women and ensure their wellbeing and development. Ben Hirsch works in the areas of child protection, education, water, sanitation and health.

Since the outbreak of the Ebola viral disease on the 25th May, 2014, the Sierra Leone Government recorded over 3,500 Ebola orphans in the country. Desperate of the need to rescue these orphans from the health stigma attached to their living conditions, BTA intervention was timely. Consequently, funding for school feeding program which now stands at 803 was approved. The projection for the next academic year is 1,002.

Further to this partnership, BTA also provided significant funding for the completion of our school building. 

BTA powered five of our foster homes with mini solar sets.

PROGRAM 3

CONNECTING DESTINY SCHOOL

Connecting Destiny Nursery and Preparatory School aim is to improve lives, transform families, and promote socio-economic development.  

In order to achieve its aims and objectives, a school was initially set up in 2016 to provide comprehensive child care services for children aged 2 to 6 years (Catch Them Young) and to provide the opportunity for children to develop their independence, self-confidence, interpersonal skills and relationships with others through active play and learning.  

A greater percentage of the population in this environment (18-49) are unemployed, and even the employed are grossly underpaid. Poverty rate continues to increase with more than two-thirds of the population living on less than US$1 a day. As a result of massive poverty, children have nowhere to play, the environment is not conducive, hence the food they eat are not nutritious and they are exposed to unhealthy conditions and diseases.  "Rapid Assessment for CDO in the Grafton Community and its environs" (March, 2016) 

Given the background of these children and the low economic status of the caretakers/parents/guardians the organization sought funding from BTA to be able to provide these children with at least one square meal a day. BTA is currently feeding 90 students with a projection of 120 by September 2023. 

PROGRAM 4

STEP ONE PRIMARY SCHOOL

The above named school was founded in September 2012. During this period, the pupils around this community were facing serious constrains. Most of the children were engaged in sand mining, fishing, trading and some were given to early marriage, and some were engaged in other activities.

It became a realization that most of them were orphans and their Care givers were not able to send them to school resulting in a great challenge in the community. The risk of accepting them in school with free uniforms and sometimes lunch without knowing where the next dime would come from to keep those students in school became a routine. To the kids, it became normal for them to attend school without any food to eat. 

The Intervention of BTA was timely—264 of our kids are now fed daily with funding provided by BTA. By September this year, 339 kids are projected to be fed daily. 

PROGRAM 5

COVID 19 ORPHANS IN MAKENI

The outbreak of COVID-19 in Sierra Leone was formerly announced by His Excellency the President on the March 31, 2020 with index registered in Freetown. From this date to the time of commencement of BTA support for COVID-19 orphan support the total death toll had risen to 20 people for Bombali District alone accounting for 20.83% of the total figures nationwide. This unwelcome epidemic had left 42 children as orphans (35% nationwide) and single parents or complete orphans.  BTA donations on October 10, 2020 targeted as much as 18 of these orphans in the first cycle of support accounting for 46%. 

Conditions have now driven the nation towards poverty, desperation and even starvation. These conditions have aggravated the level of corruption in government, political unrest, hyperinflation, over 85% remain unemployed. The drastic drop in farming activities since the outbreak still linger as spillover effects of low farm production for more than 3 years now. Politicians are also ready to take advantage of a hungry and unemployed youth that may lead to insurrection or a return to civil unrest. Desperate prayers for the nation have also been intensified and hope you please pray along with us as a nation!! 

There were frequent Covid-19 lock-down restrictions imposed by the government with Military checkpoints established between cities, towns and villages that restricted the flow of commerce for months. It was impossible to farm for many months, so there were lower or no harvests which still spill over.