About the Foundation

One Bright Light Can Shine a Long Way  

Help provide Nasio with a quality future by sending him to school

Aug 2008

Laura and I have spent some quality time in Sierra Leone. We've become very close to a family, our neighbours. They are definitely not the worst off in this country -  ranked the least developed in the world, but life is far from easy. 

The leader of the family - Auntie Fanta Mansoray (Otherwise known as F.A.) - is smart and completely selfless. She manages the family well, and takes in many people who need help. There is no shortage of love in this family, but resources are scarce.

F.A.'s family is big. At any one time there can be over 30 people staying at the family's house - three to four structures. F.A. stays in the modest of them all - a rusting pan-body about 7ft by 25ft - with about 8 others.

Auntie F.A. looks on during the naming ceremony for baby Laura. Saffy named her newborn after Laura (Photo July 2008)

Most of the kids have their mothers on site. Some families have left their children with F.A. while they work in other regions of the country, while others just do not have the capacity to look after their kids. Some of the fathers send money to ensure their children go to school.

I fell in love with Nasio from the moment I saw him. We had an instant connection. He's a skinny little boy with a big smile and contagious laugh. At only 6 years old, his human qualities are already shining. Maybe it's because he's had a bit harder life than the rest of the kids. He may have less than the other children, but he is always the first to share when he has something. 

Unlike the others he does not have any immediate family; his father's deceased and his mother died during the child-birth of his younger sibling, who also passed away. At the age of 1 and already an orphan, F.A. took him in. Even though F.A. and the rest of the family love him, he gets shuffled to the back of the line as standard. He does not have a working parent sending him money to go to school, or a mother to ensure he gets enough food. It is heartbreaking to see it with your own eyes.

F.A. never asks us for anything. On the contrary, we get invited for "chop" (food) often. And they do not volunteer information that may be interpreted as asking for help. But over the course of our friendship with them, Laura and I (mostly Laura - her Krio is fabulous!) have learned intimate details of the family. The most recent revelation is that Nasio does not go to school. They cannot afford it. And there is no one there to take special care of Nasio's future.

The early stages of his should-be school life are crucial.  He is missing out on the basics.  He couldn’t count past 6 the last time I quizzed him and he has no idea how to spell his name.

A little goes a long way in this country.  School fees are very inexpensive by western standards.  The reality is that we could easily cover the costs for his schooling, but our thinking is we can do so much more for him.  Living and working here, Laura and I understand some of the obstacles and simple solutions to ensure a quality education.  We hope the Nasio Foundation will build over the years to offer Nasio an incentive to go as far as he can  - college, university, or to pursue an internship or scholarship overseas.  (We know several young people in Sierra Leone who have been accepted and/or awarded scholarships but cannot afford the balance of costs to pursue the opportunity.) 

Lastly, there is no better development tool than education – in our opinion.  One bright light can shine along way.  

Help us, help Nasio make an impact on his life and others in Sierra Leone.

Sincerely, 

Jason