Bringing HOPE to children through SPORTS
December 2017 – Mbula’s Story
We first met Mbula (the girl on the far right of the picture) when Sami, our UK Sports & Schools Ambassador visited Sierra Leone on his sports programme factfinding trip in April 2017. Sami recalls that Mbula was a very shy and withdrawn young girl, and was drawn to her tragic life story, where she now lives with her adopted aunt as a result of her parents abandoning her when she was just a baby.
With time and the support of our amazing volunteers in Sierra Leone, who were able to take her out of her squalid home environment and put her onto a sports field with other girls, what resulted was the emergence of her colourful and vibrant personality alongside that of her new friends, which our social workers never knew she had.
This one picture and Mbula’s story demonstrates the power of SPORTS and the work we are doing for those most in need.
October 2017 – Education Support For 116 Vulnerable Children In The Western Area & Kono District, Sierra Leone
In the first week of October, Street Sports Hope Sierra Leone provided education support to 116 vulnerable children in Sierra Leone.
This memorable event took place in the presence of the media, local councillors, SSHSL staff and volunteers at the newly constructed market, in Grafton, near Freetown. The educational materials – school uniforms, bags, pen and pencils were received with a round of cheering and applause, with cash payments also being made, to cover the children’s school fees and charges for the 2017 academic year also being made to the vulnerable children from Calaba Town, Allen Town, Tree Planting, Yams Farm and Grafton.
SSHSL chairman, Mohamed Musa, in his presentation speech explained how Street Sports Hope is working towards helping vulnerable children through sports and that this was just the start to the support we ae looking to provide to those most in need.
“This is the third supply we have given you, the first was the sport equipment; the second was clothing and now we are making donations to the mudslides victims at the Regent community.” He said.
A further round of applause followed from the beneficiaries was when Mohamed confirmed that SSHSL was also now in a position to provide business support to the parents of the vulnerable children who were receiving education support, to help ensure that their children can continue their studies in the years to come.
Our staff and volunteers also provided 18 of the most vulnerable children and their families in Kono, with education support, ensuring they will now be returning to school next week.
August 2017 – Sierra Leone Flooding Appeal
Following the flooding and mudslide which took place in the early hours of Monday the 14th August 2017 in the Regents area of Freetown, Sierra Leone leaving at least 400 confirmed as dead and over 600 still missing, Street Sports Hope is urgently asking you to support our appeal to assist families affected by the disaster, especially children, many of whom are traumatised, homeless and hungry.
Our staff are currently on the ground identifying families most in need of our urgent support. Please support our emergency appeal to bring urgent aid to these families and their children.
Just £10 will provide emergency food, water, provide and bedding for those most in need.
June 2017 – St Augustine’s High School Raises £1,700 for Ebola Orphans
Through the power of sport students at St Augustine’s School have shown how a difference can be made to the world through their dedication and unity. In response to Year 7’s recent assembly on Ebola orphans of Sierra Leone, over 750 items of clothing and educational resources were donated to Street Sports Hope!
More recently, students and staff came together to run the Westminster Mile. It was a beautiful, positive day, full of smiles and satisfaction, where it was impressive to see the students train for the event and work so hard to gain sponsorship money for our cause.
St Augustine’s has now raised approximately £1,700 so far! This will make a huge difference to Street Sport Hope’s identified children, who have shown themselves to be at their happiest during times of sporting activity, where it has been agreed that their sponsorship money will be used to help develop a sports programme for the young boys and girls across 5 different areas of Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Thanks to everyone who supported them and thank you once again to all the pupils involved. We will keep you updated on their progress and our impact over the coming year.
May 2017 – Every girl deserves the right to an education
At a recent visit in early May to Calaba Town Eastern Freetown, Street Sports Hope social workers and coordinators distributed educational support materials with the intention of supporting local school girls, assisting them in their desires to return to school.
At Street Sports Hope, we strongly believe that no child should miss out on the education they deserve, just because they have been fitted for a wedding dress and are to be married at the age of 14.
We say YES to EDUCATION and NO to CHILD MARRIAGE.
To support our aim in keeping girls in school, please donate whatever you can.
April 2017 – Dauda’s Story
Dauda is an orphan, having lost both of his parents to preventable diseases.
His grandmother was left to look after Dauda and his younger brother and sister, who has now been adopted by a family who are financially better off, though unable to support Dauda and his brother.
Now living with his grandmother, Dauda finds it hard to eat regularly. When Street Sports Hope UK sports & schools ambassador Sam Ebzao met Dauda, he was hungry and in fear of not being able to continue with his education.
When he grows up, Dauda wants to be a doctor, so he can provide free medical care for his family, helping save lives, and ensuring people link his parents don’t lose their lives to preventable diseases like his parents did.
Just £50 will help Dauda’s grandmother start a small business to keep Dauda in school and ensure he and his brother are able to eat regularly.
March 2017 – St Augustine’s High School Support for SSH
As we prepare to send our second shipment to Sierra Leone, we extend a big thank you to the pupils and teachers from St Augustine’s High School, Kilburn; who have provided over 700 items of clothing, footwear and sportswear, as well as board games and educational books, for distribution to our beneficiaries. The vast majority of these items were donated by year 7 and 8 students in response to a recent assembly on ‘Children Less Fortunate’.
The collection was organised and led by tutor group Columba 7 at St Augustine’s, where the students demonstrated a selfless spirit through their acts of kindness and dedication to the cause, with some amazing stories of individual effort during the collection. Not to be left out, St Augustine’s 16-19 year old sixth form students have now begun planning a charity fundraising run around Buckingham Palace, so watch this space!
In addition, hundreds of pounds worth of brand new stationery supplies has been donated to Street Sports Hope by St Augustine’s stationery suppliers, The Consortium, that will be gratefully received by our school age beneficiaries.
On behalf of our beneficiaries and the team of social workers and sports coordinators in Sierra Leone, all of the trustees and staff of Street Sports Hope extend a massive thank you to all of the students involved and for their help in spreading the word on our work with street children and Ebola orphans.