InterConnections 21



School Building Process in Sembehun and Kpakuma 

 

 

Sembehun children with opening banner – Susie Rauch

Kids with banner - Kpakuma

 

Thanks to the generosity of the Jackson Hole community, InterConnections 21 and Schools for Salone were able to build schools in two villages in the southern provence of Sierra Leone--Sembehun and Kpakuma. For years, these villages have been searching for a way to build schools that are large enough and have supplies for all of the local children.  These children live in a country that is struggling to rebuild in the wake of a terrible civil war (learn more

on IC 21's Sierra Leone Background Info page). 

 

Susie shaking hands with Kpakuma Students - Bob Heavner

 

Festive dedication ceremonies took place in mid-February 2010 for the two primary schools in Sierra Leone that were built with funds raised by IC 21-organized efforts in Jackson in August 2009. Some 750 people participated in these festivities featuring speeches by local chiefs and other dignitaries, as well as dancing and music by villagers-many in ceremonial dress and masks.

 

Road leading to Sembehun – Susie Rauch

 

 Plaque presented to Sembehun school at the opening ceremony - Susie RauchPlaque presented to Kpakuma school at the opening ceremony - Susie Rauch

 

 

 

Guests of honor at these moving occasions included Joan and Macon Brock, part-time Jackson residents who funded the construction at Kpakuma School, and IC 21 president Susie Rauch.

 

Joan and Macon Brock


Prior to the ceremonies, IC 21 taught local elementary and middle school students about Sierra Leone and the educational and social circumstances affecting their peers in rural areas of Africa. Jackson students prepared colorful materials that Susie presented to the schools in Sierra Leone along with "Bronc" baseball caps and T-shirts, donated by Jackson Hole High School and written greetings from Jackson's mayor, Mark Barron.

 

For the full story, check out IC 21's Summer 2010 Newsletter.

 

Sembehun

Sembehun is a quiet village northeast of Bo, the second largest town in Sierra Leone.

This village is the hometown of Schools for Salone staff, Joseph Lamin (pictured below). After years of helping Schools for Salone build schools around Sierra Leone, Joseph finally had the opportunity to help people in his own hometown. The four-classroom school, along with a well were dedicated in February 2010, all possible thanks to the funds raised during the IC 21 sponsored events in Jackson in August 2009.

 

 

Sembehun-Current school classroom Joseph Lamin-MCF Founder and Director

The old school in Sembehun

 

 sfs 2women helping out with building the school

 

Kpakuma

sfs 1Kpakuma is also northeast of Bo. It is slightly larger than Sembehun, but can be more difficult to reach during the mud season becuase of bogged out roads. In fact, many of the school supplies had to be carried in on foot. As shown below, students often had to leave school to fetch water from creeks classrooms were spilling out onto the veranda because teachers had nowhere else to teach. Thanks to the Joan and Macon Brock, Jackson part time residents, a new school with several big classrooms and a well were built in Kpakuma.

 

sfs 9kpakuma-Current school is too small classes spill outside

 

 The people of Kpakuma plan for their new schoolstudents get involved kpakuma

 

kpakuma-excitement rises as the walls go upkpakuma-students happy to see new school take shape

 

To learn more about the IC 21/Schools for Salone School Building, click here.