Spotlight - Moses Alie Sesay
In December of 2021, we spent $435 USD sending 29 kids back to school. These kids already missed the first month of the school year because their families couldn’t afford the $15 fee it takes to enroll them and buy the necessary supplies. As a result, the only option these 29 kids had was to work around the home and hope to attend school in the future when their families could afford it. This would have left them far behind their peers and one large step closer to joining the poverty cycle. The brutal reality is that most kids never go back to school once they’ve missed a year of registering.
Moses was one of 29 children who received $15 for enrollment along with the necessary supplies for class. He has gone on to impress us, along with his teachers, peers, and surrounding community members every step of the way. In January of 2022, Moses went back to Madiyya Muslim Junior Secondary School, a public school in the Bo District of Sierra Leone. Within months, he stood out amongst his peers with beyond-impressive skills in mathematics and economics. As a result, he received an offer for a full-ride scholarship from a private school that will give him the superior education he deserves. He transferred schools and continued to prove his one-of-a-kind intelligence.
Moses wearing a Growing the Grassroots shirt.
Moses is now 11 years old. In May of 2022, he accepted an award for being one of the most influential kids in the Bo District of Sierra Leone. He received this award for his excellence in mathematics and economics and was then invited to the Bo branch of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation. Here, he answered radio interview questions and prepared topics to discuss with the thousands of listeners all around the Bo District.
Less than a year ago, Moses did not believe he would continue to attend school. Today, he strives to further his education at Njala University someday. He possesses the skills to flawlessly compose himself when public speaking and is truly a diamond in the rough. Not only does his age make this impressive, but the fact that he was able to stand out amongst all of his peers with his knowledge and leader-like presence. These are just a few reasons why we’ve put the first Spotlight on Moses Alie Sesay.
The board of directors of Growing the Grassroots visited Sierra Leone in May of 2022. During this visit, Moses went out of his way to prepare a speech for us and for all who have supported us. We asked him what his goals are and what would help to achieve them. He is passionate about mathematics and will pursue a career in economics or accounting. The one thing he said would be most helpful is a phone that can be used to research different topics on Google, and listen to audiobooks since he does not have access to hard copies in Sierra Leone.
We hope to support special students like Moses through college and even with their careers. Young people like him can change their country for the better. Although it doesn’t exactly fit our business model to extend support like this, if we see an opportunity to help a special individual, we must take it!