Maco holding his new net

Maco was born during the civil war in Sierra Leone.  His family was displaced from the Tonkoh Limba Chiefdom in the Bombali district of northern Sierra Leone during the rebel war.  They resettled at the hillside area of the Wellington suburb of Freetown, Sierra Leone.   He lives with his father, mother, and five sisters in a single room zinc sheet house with a parlor and no running water and electricity.

At his age, Maco is supposed to be 2 classes further in his education but dropped out of school for 2 years because of the inability of his parents to pay his school fees.  Maco does light errands for people in the neighborhood to survive. His father is a laborer and his mother is a petty trader with a combined monthly income of $60 which is not enough to cover the family needs.  At night Maco sleeps on a mat spread on the bare floor.

Maco lying on his mat under his new net

He was delighted to receive a mosquito net as this helps to keep him safe from mosquito bites.  Neil, thanks for bringing freedom from malaria in Maco’s life.

A Smiling Augusta - Happy to Hear About The Scholarship

Augusta was born in Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone.  She lives in a small house with her parents and siblings. Her mother takes care of the family doing household chores. Her father works as a day laborer at the docks earning a meager income. What he earns is not enough to maintain the family and educate the children. They have no other means of supplementing their income.

The family comes from the Mende ethnic group. Augusta has been attending school under very difficult circumstances due to poverty. She enjoys running errands and loves playing with her age groups. She is a healthy and active girl.

Thanks Kabir, Hudson and Avis for your support to Augusta.  This support provides her with full coverage of tuition, books, school supplies and meals.  This means so much to her and has made a huge impact in her life.

Mariatu clutching her new net...

Mariatu, a mosquito net recipient, wants to be an actress when she grows up and has a strong interest in music and dancing.  She lives in a two bedroom zinc sheet home with her parents and six siblings. The house badly needs renovation, lacks electricity, and has no running water. This family wakes up early to fetch water half a mile away from home. Her father is a security guard and earns a monthly income of US$80. Her mother is a petty trader with monthly income of around US$100.  Their total monthly income is not enough to cover the needs of the family – and as a result Mariatu and her siblings had been sleeping without a mosquito net.

Over the past year she has had to deal with and recover from two bouts of malaria dues to exposure to mosquito bites.  She hates mosquitoes with a passion!  Thankfully, because of this net that she has received, she can now sleep free from the pests, parasites and from the threat of malaria. Thanks Neil for affording this simple but essential protection to Mariatu!

Mariatu trying out her new net to ensure it fits

Smiling Alfred Holding His New Net

Alfred and his six siblings live in a single bedroom cement house with no electricity and no running water. He lost his mother when he was two years old. His father was let go from work two years ago, which has made life tougher for Alfred and his five brothers.

Alfred only gets to wear decent clothing through the generosity of his neighbors. When Alfred wants to study at night, he uses a locally made kerosene lamp. Alfred and his brothers sleep on a mattress bed made from dried grass.   As their family is going through difficult times and has not been able to afford a mosquito net, Alfred was delighted to receive a bed net from Door of Hope.

Alfred relaxing under his new net

Thanks to this net his day dreams of becoming a banker when he grows up have extended into his peaceful, mosquito-free night dreams.  Thanks Neil for helping to provide priceless sleep and sweet dreams of a better future!

Alfred relaxing under his new net

Santigie - the stronger and aspiring professional soccer player

Santigie loves to play soccer and would like to be a professional soccer player when he grows up. He enjoys watching the UK and European league games which are sometimes broadcast on public TV that he can watch at a a neighbor’s house. He enthusiastically watched as many of the recent World cup games as the neighbors would allow. His family has an income of only $200 monthly cannot afford the “luxury” of a TV as their home does not have electricity.

Santigie was delighted to hear that he would receive the nutritional supplement that he is holding in the photo. He reported after a couple days of use that he is already feeling physically stronger – with a larger appetite.  He now claims that this will help him grow tall and become a physically strong professional soccer player! These supplements are definitely complementing his inadequate nutrition and are a blessing.  Thanks Neil for making a difference in his present and future soccer world!

Fatu holding her new box of nutritional supplements

Nutrition and a balanced diet…and really just basic food have been concerns in Fatu’s family for several years.  The current economic pressures of life in the bustling, greater Freetown area have made it difficult for her family to provide regular and balanced meals.  The total family income is about $150 monthly and this is stretched very thin among the family of 5 children. On many days, particularly just before pay day, the meals are scanty and far from balanced.

The family was therefore delighted to receive this nutritional supplement and vitamins that will help to ensure that Fatu receives the nutrition she needs. She is already tall for her age and seems to be on another growth spurt. Thanks to Neil, this nutritional supplement can make sure that Fatu can be receive an improved and more complete diet.

Emmanuel

In the photo, Emmanuel, a young boy from Sierra Leone, stands outside his father’s workshop under a mango tree as he celebrates his birthday.

Emmanuel’s father is a carpenter and the main provider of a family of three, which includes his wife and a dependant relative, with a monthly income of US $50  – which is not enough to cover the family needs.

Emmanuel’s mother is a petty trader with monthly income of US $30 which helps, but is still not enough to supplement fully the father’s income to meet the family needs. Emmanuel and his family lives in a single room zinc sheet home with no running water and no electricity.

Needless to say they were delighted to hear about your generous donation of a mosquito net.  This net will help Emmanuel grow up free from the attack of mosquitoes and malaria. Thank you for providing this simple but essential protection!

Emmanuel relaxing under net

Zainab with net

Zainab is a brilliant young girl from Sierra Leone who loves to go to and excels at school.   Her schooling has been affected negatively by insufficient sleep due to the buzzing, mosquitoes’ bites and also bouts of the killer malaria disease.

Her parents are both school teachers and sometimes their salaries are not paid promptly by the government.  This has introduced an extra economic strain on the family and as a result Zainab has had to, unfortunately, cope and sleep without a mosquito net.  This has resulted in periodic bouts of malaria that have made her miss school for 1 – 2 weeks a few times a year.

Zainab Resting Under Her Net

Zainab was delighted to receive a net as this helps guarantee sleep and freedom from malaria.  Now she will no longer have to miss school from malaria.

Abass - winsome smile

Abass lives with his parents, two sisters, brother, and a dependent relative in a two bedroom zinc sheet home in Sierra Leone.  They have no running water and no electricity. This smart and promising looking boy has spent his life in adverse conditions.

Abass’ father is a fisherman and the main provider of the home with a monthly income of  US $80, an amount that can vary depending on the season and weather condition, and which, even at its peak,  is not enough to cover the family’s needs. Abass’ mother is a petty trader with a monthly income of US $40 which helps, but is not enough to supplement the father’s income to run the affairs of the home.

Abass and his parents were so grateful to receive a net.  In the photo, you can see him happily smiling as he realizs the relief that this net brings.

I'm loving this net already!

Thanks so much for providing this net!