In addition, we provided schools with donations in kind (rice) to carry out picnics. Also we registered non-schooling children and enabled the school attendance of 20 children by paying the tuition fees, school uniforms and teaching materials. At present, we still support 10 students of Ahmadiyya Primary School. In 2008 a house was rented to open up the After School Activities Center. In close c
ommunication with the local chiefs, head teachers and parents the most needy children, particularly orphans and neglected, but willing to learn children were selected as participants. At present 150 students from Taiama’s 6 primary schools and 1 pre-school take part in the programme which main issues currently comprise supervision of homework, providing a daily meal, offering of cultural activities (traditional drumming, traditional music), encouragement of outdoor games (football, volleyball, table tennis, basketball and bicycle riding). In 2009 we delivered further resources, such as bicycles, sports equipment, stationery and teaching materials. We carried out a summer school vacation programme that was joined by 135 children. It aims at preparing ASAC participants for their forthcoming academic year and will be continued annually. In 2010 a plantation was erected to serve as an additional food source and to teach the children in agricultural techniques. Half of the harvest is used for the daily meals, the other half is recultivated. In January 2011 ASAC moved to the compound of the nearby United Methodist Church School because the facilities were no longer sufficient to accomodate more students. Reason and meaning of including the growing of rice as the country's stapple food in our agricultural training studies at Taiama after school activities center:
The production of rice as our country's staple food is one necessity in our agricultural project studies. Most school children are not in the capacity to enjoy a one meal (which basically includes rice) on a daily basis. They therefore need rice which could not be produced or offered by neither the government or their different families to survive. This is one reason why we have included the growing of rice as one of our main product in our agricultural studies. Another reason for growing rice is:children could be able to start learning the importance of subsistence farming at an earlier stage and age. As rice is the staple food of the country Sierra Leone, it should be a must for children to be offered the opportunity to learn how it is produced. This will help them in one way or the other to recognize the importance of agriculture for their survival. Actually the entire project is underway but functioning at a very slow pace. Despite this fact, it is really difficult to put the project at a required and advanced level (the provision of toilet facilities for both boys and girls and some other recreational centers too. There are however a number of obstacles to be firstly eradicated. Obstacles like the lack of agricultural machines and some other equipments too. According to the results from a research concerning the project there is already a budget proposal of about Le.6,350,000 which should be enough to accomplish the project . The reaction of poor people in this district who could not afford to feed their children and send them to school is overall positive. Strength and Weaknesses of our agricultural project:
Strength of the organization:
As the project becomes more interesting and likeable, children are been motivated and are prepared to fully participate in keeping the project going. There are also lots of room for expansion because the demand from families especially those really poor ones is encouraging and great. Children are also having the opportunities to demonstrate and exchange their ideas in agriculture- going green all the way. Weaknesses of the organization:
Due to a poor rate of income level in the country as a whole, tutors of this project are not encouraged to do their job well. There is a lack of storage facilities for agricultural products and equipments. The country's ministry of education is not ready and prepared to assist the children in achieving their future goals. This is a report concerning the way and manner in which we as Sierra Leoneans try to assist the poor in our country. We are therefore asking for a kind of financial support or otherwise to keep the organization sustainable. Yours faithfully
Naziru Coker
Project Coordinator
