Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

For nearly 10 years, I have had the enormous privilege of volunteering with Project 3580: The Waterloo Schools Charity, supporting schools, teachers, children and families in Sierra Leone.

Through the charity, I have had the opportunity to meet some of the most incredible people I will ever have the honour of knowing — people who, despite facing circumstances that are difficult for most of us to imagine, continue to work hard, care for others and give back to their communities.

One of those families is the Amara family.

I have set up fundraising pages for members of this family over the years, and some of my friends on Facebook and WhatsApp will already know their story. This time, I am asking for help to support Senesie and Grace in achieving something incredibly important: their university education.

Meet Senesie:

Senesie is one of those people who seems to put absolutely everyone else before himself.

Following the death of his parents, he became head of his household and has taken responsibility for his family. He also cares for his niece, Grace, following the heart breaking death of her mother, Elizabeth, who was herself studying to become a nurse when she sadly passed away.

Despite all of this, Senesie continues to work tirelessly.

He is the Assistant Head Teacher at our flagship school in Kissi Town Displacement Camp, a church elder, a devoted member of his family and, alongside everything else, a university student himself.

This year is his final year at university studying fir a Bachelor in Education B.Ed degree in the department of Community Development Studies/ Agricultural Science ( B.Ed. C.D.S/Agriculture).

His university fees for the year are 8,000 Leones— and he needs our help to complete the degree he has worked so hard towards.

Please don't be misled by the title Assistant Head Teacher. Teachers employed by the Sierra Leonean government can live below the poverty line, while many other teachers work voluntarily without receiving a salary at all.

Senesie gives so much to the children and community around him. I would love for us to be able to give something back to him.

Meet Grace:

Grace is Senesie's niece. She is 16yrs old and wants to study Pharmacology as she wants to be a pharmacist in future. She would like to study at the college of medicine Jue campus this year to start her on this journey.

Her college fees are 15,000 Leones per year.

Grace has worked incredibly hard to get to this point, and I don't want financial circumstances to be the reason she has to give up on her dream.

What we are trying to do:

Together, the university fees for Senesie and Grace are just under £700 this year.

Less than £700 could mean:

🎓 Senesie completing his final year and graduating with the degree he has worked so hard for.

🎓 Grace beginning her university education and taking her first steps towards a career in Pharmacy.

Two people. Two futures. One relatively small fundraising target that could make an enormous difference.

I know that many people are facing financial pressures themselves, so please don't feel that you have to make a large donation. Every £5, £10 or £20 will help. And if you can't donate, simply sharing this page could help us reach someone who can.

I have personally known Senesie and his family through my work with Project 3580 for many years, and I can tell you that these are people who deserve this opportunity.

I am hoping that by sharing their story beyond my own circle of friends and family, we can reach people who have never heard of Project 3580, never visited Sierra Leone and don't know Senesie or Grace — but who might nevertheless want to help two hardworking young people achieve their dreams.

Please donate if you can, and please share this page as widely as possible.

If you have any questions about Senesie, Grace, their circumstances or Project 3580, please feel free to get in touch with me. I am very happy to answer any questions and tell you more about the people and the charity that have meant so much to me over the last 10 years.

In the meantime, here is the link to the charity's website:

https://www.waterloo-schools.org/about-us/

Thank you for taking the time to read their story.

With love and thanks,

Emily, Senesie & Grace❤️