School in Sierra Leone

Bruce Wilcox introduced Ken Woods, a member of St. Paul's, a retired High School VP, an active part of the Atlantic Challenge, the Sleeping Children Bed Kits program, an advisor to the restoration of a war ship in Cuba, and part of the team sponsoring a refugee family from Thailand.

Ken was speaking on this day, though, as a representative of Dr. Peter Kugba Nyande and the outreach committee of St. Paul's.  Peter is from Bunumba in Sierra Leone, a country the size of New Brunswick with 6 million people and the highest infant mortality rate in the world and the lowest per capita income.  It's where Blood Diamonds was filmed.  He hopes to rebuild the school in his hometown.  Paul Delaney is not directly involved in this project but is a friend of Peter's and is helping as he can.

There are 344 students in temporary facilities there and they are working on a six room school with an office and a teachers' room.  They built a shelter to protect the bricks they're making and, with 9,000 bricks so far, have the walls up to the roof line.  They have the beams for the roof but not the metal sheeting and the rains are coming.

Peter has raised $22,000.00 of the 29 needed and has been going, on his own expense, to supervise.  $6,000.00 has been given anonymously to dig a well and install toilets and Peter has been loaned the money to buy the sheeting but he needs to pay that back.

Teachers there are paid by the government - there are 5 now which means each has 60 kids.  The curriculum is mandated by the government and education is free.  This doesn't mean they couldn't use supplies.

Ken said this Club extends itself and takes every opportunity to support the Community.  There are two Rotary Clubs in Sierra Leone.  Donations can be made to St. Paul's, marked 'school project' and receipts will be issued.  He thanked the Club for their time and attention.