You probably have a solid understanding of what I was doing in Sierra Leone during the 2022-2023 academic year, but just in case you don’t know, here it is in a nutshell:
I was in Sierra Leone as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar. My project involved helping the University of Makeni (UNIMAK) Department of Inclusion & Special Needs Education (ISNE) further develop their teacher preparation program. We expanded the existing teacher certificate, bachelor’s degree, and master’s degree programs and updated how they are delivered so that more current and future teachers can be included. These programs are now more robust, containing content that addresses all disability categories in Sierra Leone, and all three programs are delivered both virtually and in-person with students going to campus either weekly, bi-weekly, or during special two-week sessions over holiday breaks.
The ISNE leadership team, Andrew Unisa Dumbuy, Samuel D.B. Sesay, Siddie Kanu, and I, worked tirelessly during my 10-months in Sierra Leone. The work included numerous school visits and endless discussions in order to ensure that the programs and practices implemented in schools would fit Sierra Leone culture and be sustainable, but here’s the bottom line: In order to firmly establish the field of Inclusion and Special Needs Education in Sierra Leone, in-country experts must be developed and this will not happen without financial support.
Please watch the video below. This video explains the financial need and also shows the personalities of the leadership team and students. Watch the whole video… funny bloopers at the end.
Special thank you to Luke Taylor for creating this video for us. I cannot thank you enough, Luke!
Going to college is expensive for everyone, but if you live in one of the poorest countries in the world, it is nearly impossible. Tuition at UNIMAK is 8,600 Leones per year, which is around $400 to $500, depending on the exchange rate. The current bachelor degree cohort includes five students who are all teachers at St. Joseph’s School for the Hearing Impaired. They make about 1,100 Leones per month in salary. To put that into perspective, a bag of rice to feed a small family for about a month costs around 800 Leones. The 300 Leones left is not even enough for the rest of the food to make the meals complete (meat and vegetables), let alone housing, water, transportation. Most people have side jobs in order to bridge the gap, but as you can see there is no money left to save for college tuition.
Our first bachelor degree cohort started during the 2022-2023 academic year (it was a “building the plane while flying it” situation and they were instrumental in the program design process). They were able to get started because UNIMAK agreed to defer their tuition so we could start the program while I was there. These students are fiercely committed to improving the lives of people with disabilities in Sierra Leone and they worked hard during their first year. They are already emailing me about getting started with year two. These students are the future of special needs education in Sierra Leone. I am so proud of them!
Please consider investing in these future leaders of the field of Inclusion and Special Needs Education in Sierra Leone.
If you are interested in donating, please contact me via email:
I continue to be part of the UNIMAK-ISNE team. We meet on Zoom every Thursday morning to discuss the program, solve any problems, and collaborate as we develop course content for each upcoming semester. I look forward to returning to Sierra Leone next year and again when the first bachelor degree cohort graduates.
Summary:
- The field of Inclusion & Special Needs Education is just beginning in Sierra Leone.
- There are no true experts in the field yet.
- In order for a field of study (and practice) to grow, experts are needed.
- UNIMAK is considered the hub for teacher training in special needs education in Sierra Leone.
- The degree programs are developed and the team is ready to forge ahead.
- We need to keep students in the programs. To do this, students need financial support.
- All contributions will go directly to student tuition. Kim is covering all money transfer costs.
- Kim teaches the Curriculum & Instruction PhD classes and supervises doctoral students at UNIMAK; rather than accepting payment from UNIMAK for these services, she donates the funds to support the ISNE department.
- Kim and Andrew are sponsoring one student through their entire degree.
Thank you, Kim. This is a fabulous outreach narrative & video. You, your colleagues, & students are doing great work & impacting the lives of so many. Thank you for this opportunity to support your efforts. I will contact you shortly.