On Thursday, the Australian-based NGO, One Girl, donated comprehensive school supplies to 100 girls currently benefiting from its scholarship program in Sierra Leone. The initiative was part of the organization’s ongoing efforts to complement government strategies aimed at promoting girls’ education, particularly among vulnerable and underserved communities.
The donation event, held in Freetown, drew a diverse group of attendees, including parents, guardians, scholarship beneficiaries, and women advocates for female empowerment.
Beneficiaries and attendees at the event
Sia Lajaku-Williams, the Programs and Partnerships Director of One Girl, stated that the organization is currently implementing its programs exclusively in Sierra Leone. She revealed that this year, 100 girls have been supported through the NGO’s Girls-in-School Programme, with 45 beneficiaries based in Freetown and 55 in Mile 91, Tonkolili District.
She explained that the Girls-in-School Programme offers full scholarships for secondary education—covering both Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS). The school material packages distributed during the event included: two sets of daily school uniforms, ceremonial uniform, one school t-shirt, six textbooks (English, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Social Studies, Home Economics, and Agriculture), one scientific calculator, one geometry set, two pairs of school shoes, two school belts, one felt hat and one beret, eight ledger books for note-taking, two pairs of daily wear socks and one pair of ceremonial socks, one box of pens, and three-month supply of sanitary pads.
Lajaku-Williams added that the organization would also provide a monthly lunch fund, cover the cost of extra lessons, and continue supplying sanitary pads during the scholars’ monthly meetings.
She outlined the criteria for scholarship eligibility, noting that applicants must be girls enrolled in public secondary schools within the Western Area or Tonkolili District. They must be vulnerable and at risk of dropping out of school, and should not be receiving support from any other educational program.
In addition to scholarships, One Girl conducts monthly scholar meetings and ensures consistent support through the provision of sanitary pads, lunch funds, and lesson fee payments.
Two beneficiaries of the One Girl scholarship program expressed heartfelt gratitude for the support they have received.
Isatu Esther Kaine commended One Girl for its assistance, stating that without the organization’s intervention, she might have been forced to drop out of school. She encouraged her fellow beneficiaries to make the most of the opportunity and to remain committed to their education.
Alice N. Turay, another recipient, shared her appreciation for the continued support she has received from One Girl over the past five years. She explained that following the loss of her mother, she faced significant challenges in continuing her education. However, thanks to the organization’s help, those obstacles were overcome, allowing her to stay in school and pursue her academic goals.