The gifts for life

children playing football in a Bombali school

The “Gift for Life” is sponsored by Plan UK through a scheme that allows their supporters to donate little sums of money that can buy different kinds of gifts to help develop children and their families in developing countries.

In Sierra Leone, recreational gifts were donated to children to enable them forget about the traumatic experiences of the war and rebuild their future. A child playing football with his friends for example, can help him to forget about the nauseating past and be happy once more.

“These gifts will enable us to socially, morally and physically participate in schools’ extra-curricula activities as the Convention on the Right of the Child makes provision for children to have the right to play; the odds need not be an issue anymore”, said Sulaiman, 14, of the Birch Memorial Secondary School.

Pupils rediscover the joy of playing toghether

“I am very happy for these gifts from Plan as my school will now participate in different kinds of sports”, Mohamed, 15, added while Isatu, 13 maintained that the gifts will enable her to play with other children in schools in other places and expressed hope that their teachers will facilitate such opportunities for them.

The Inspector of Schools in Bombali, Patrick Sesay expressed delight that Plan is the only non-governmental organization that has donated recreational gifts to children in the north of the country which was one of the worst affected areas during the war.

The Forum for African Women’s Educationalists (FAWE) is complementing the process by providing psychosocial and trauma healing trainings to children and communities.

Many messages of appreciation were received from many community people. The activities were climaxed by football, volley ball and skipping competitions among children from various schools. 

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