About us

SIERRA LEONE SCHOOL PROJECT | KOROMA FAMILY & LAKE MERRITT UMC CHURCH, OAKLAND CALIFORNIA, USA

 

BACKGROUND TO SIERRA LEONE

 

Sierra Leone is located in West Africa and is populated by about 7 million people.  The country is a low income country and relatively poor, according to the United Nations (2023).  In addition, opportunities for good schooling is very limited.  According the World Bank (2021), only 47.7% of the population of Sierra Leone 15+ years are literate or can read and write.

 

PROPOSAL FOR SIERRA LEONE SCHOOL PROJECT | SAFIE KOROMA MEMORIAL SCHOOL

 

The Sierra Leone School Project proposes to build a primary school in the Town of Lungi, in North West Sierra Leone that will cater for over 200 students from class 1 to 6.  The Sierra Leone Education system is divided into primary school (class 1 to 6), Junior secondary school (7 to 9), and senior secondary school (grades 10 to 12).

 

Lake Merritt UMC Church is located in Oakland, CA.  Joseph Koroma and family are members of the Lake Merritt UMC congregation.  And the pastor and congregation of the church support the Sierra Leone School Project. 

 

Sierra Leone experienced a brutal civil conflict from 1991 to 2002.  During this time, we the Koroma family (my siblings, Lydia, Daniel and I) left our home in Sierra Leone in the 1990s and moved abroad.  Our parents stayed behind in Sierra Leone.  My sister and I came to the US.  My brother went to Finland.  The war in Sierra Leone ended in 2002 and fortunately, my parents survived the war.  After many years, I (Joseph) went back home to visit my parents the early 2000s and bought land at Lungi.  This land is the present location of the Sierra Leone School Project.

 

The building of the school is in the memory of Safiatu M. Koroma, popularly called Safie Koroma or SafieKo.  She worked as a school educator for over 30 years and passed away in 2015.  She was a great teacher and educator.  Most importantly, she was an excellent cook, and was very spiritual and God loving women’s church leader.  Last but not lease, she was a woman of absolute integrity.  And she would love to see this school dedicated in her name flourish and grow from strength to strength to continue her work.