Beyond Access: Building a Brighter Future with Quality Education in Sierra Leone Webinar

Schools for Salone (SfS) invites you to “Beyond Access: Building a Brighter Future with Quality Education in Sierra Leone” on December 3rd, 2024. The webinar will focus on the urgent need to improve learning outcomes by equipping teachers. 

The webinar will take place at 9:30 AM Pacific Time, 12:30 PM Eastern Time, and 5:30 PM GMT. Join the conversation and learn from local and international experts on the future of learning. Registration is now open via this link: https://streamyard.com/watch/fwcWgmU7SK6r

The event themed, “Beyond Access: Building a Brighter Future with Quality Education in Sierra Leone,” coincides with Giving Tuesday, a global day of generosity. 

SfS aims to rally support to equip teachers in grades one to three with essential phonetics, syllable patterns, and sound organization skills. This initiative seeks to improve foundational learning, address low literacy rates, and help more children to read and learn effectively. 

Why is Schools for Salone Organizing the Giving Tuesday Webinar?

Despite progress in increasing access to education, learning outcomes in Sierra Leone still need to improve. Only 4.2% of children can read simple text by age 10, a challenge rooted in the need for adequately trained teachers. 

Access to education is not enough; quality must be the priority. 

Over the past 20 years, SfS has built 45 schools, trained hundreds of teachers, and educated thousands of students. This has helped transform communities across the country. 

This Giving Tuesday, SfS invites you to be part of the change that ensures every child in Sierra Leone has a chance to read, write, and thrive.

Join the Beyond Access: Building a Brighter Future with Quality Education in Sierra Leone webinar. Interested persons can register here: https://streamyard.com/watch/fwcWgmU7SK6r.

Who Are the Speakers at the Schools for Salone Webinar?

Cindy Nofziger: Cindy is the founder and current Executive Director of SfS. She developed a deep connection to the country after serving in the US Peace Corps in Sierra Leone from 1985 to 1987. She returned in 2004 to start SfS. With 19 years of experience in non-profit organization management, Cindy excels in philanthropy, policy analysis, youth development, volunteer management, and public speaking. 

Cindy Nofziger

Allison Sinning: Allison served in the Peace Corps and taught in Sierra Leone from 2010 to 2012. She has experience working with NGOs and social services such as the Peace Corps Liberia, Lutheran Social Services of SD, EmBe, and SfS. Allison is passionate about education, civil rights, and social action. As the current Programs Officer at SfS, she coordinates projects and activities within the organization.

Allison Sinning

Bidemi Caroll: Bidemi Carol is an expert in international education who has contributed to projects in Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Uganda, Liberia, and Malawi. She has more than 10 years of experience in education policy and programming in sub-Saharan Africa. 

Caroll also has experience in research and analysis of education policies and programs; monitoring and evaluation of programs; management of complex education programs; and a range of education issues, including education in post-conflict and fragile states, higher education, girl’s education, policy dialogue, education management information systems. 

Caroll is also a founding member of The Learning Foundation, the RISE Network, and the Institute for Policy Analysis and Research. 

Bidemi Caroll

Saio Marrah: Saio Marah is an experienced technical trainer and project developer especially in the field of Education. He started as head teacher at Beckam International Model Academy school for 7years.

He later worked for Peace Corp Sierra Leone for 9 years in different capacities unto the role of Programing and Training Assistant and trained up 200 Volunteers.

Marrah is currently serving as the Program Manager for The Learning Foundation and has served in this role 4 years now.

Marrah earned a Bachelor’s degree in Community Development and a Master’s degree in Education.

Saio Marrah

About Schools For Salone

Founded two decades ago, Schools for Salone has become a beacon of hope in addressing educational inequalities in Sierra Leone. The NGO has built 44 schools, providing thousands of marginalized children access to education in the country.

As another academic year has begun, 16,500 students have returned to Schools for Salone-supported institutions, eager to learn and grow despite their home challenges.