We recently traveled to Sierra Leone to check on the status of our various projects.
Our trip started with a visit to the United Methodist Conference offices in Freetown where we met with Bishop Yambasu and other church officials. From there it was off to the village of Yonibana.
The medical facility in Yonibana has recently been upgraded and renovated by the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministry (GBGM) and OC Ministries of Minnesota. The new facility looks great! (see above left). Africa Uplifted will be sending a medical team to work at the newly remodeled clinic in November.
After spending a night in the Yonibana area, we moved on to Makeni in Northern Sierra Leone. We got a few minutes to visit with one of our scholarship students – Adama Fullah (above right) – who is in her last year of Senior Secondary School (i.e. high school). She is a delightful young lady who seems to be going places.
We spent the remainder of our time in Makeni mostly attending business meetings and checking on our projects. We attended an oversight board meeting for the Doris Acton Community Health Center in Manonkoh (above left) and spent time with our Project Liaison Officer Paul Fornah.
The highlight of our trip was the dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly constructed preschool building in Manonkoh (above right and at the top of the page). This building took four years to plan and fund and a year to build. It opened in September and serves nearly 60 kids ages 3 to 5.
Overall, the trip was fantastic and strengthened the bonds between us and the people we serve. We appreciate your interest in and support of Africa Uplifted.
Best regards,
Lance and Julie Burma
Co-Founders and Directors
