Take Elizabeth Humu Bangura, a teacher at St Paul Preprimary School. Before her classroom received new teaching materials, holding the children’s attention was a daily struggle. Now she says: “The children participate more actively and enjoy learning through play. The storybooks and counting materials have made lessons more interactive and enjoyable.” Simple materials, but the difference between a child who tunes out and a child who joins in.
“I spend more time reading and interacting”
Or take Mabinty Conteh, a mother reached through a radio programme connected to our project. She says: “The programme taught me the importance of talking and playing with my child every day. I now spend more time reading and interacting with my daughter, and I can already see changes in her confidence.” A mother learning to see her child differently: that’s what this programme is about.
Then there’s the moment during a round-table discussion in Karene district, when a Member of Parliament said afterwards: “Because of what I have heard and seen here, I will also pay more attention to pre-primary education in my own community.” Not empty words, but a concrete commitment, born from a single conversation.
100 teachers trained
Alongside these personal stories, a solid foundation also grew this year: one hundred teachers in Karene district completed professional training, delivered across two locations to bridge the long and sometimes impassable distances. A nice detail: more women took part in the training than men.
Change keeps planting itself forward
This is what a year of INCE in Sierra Leone means: not just materials handed out or trainings delivered, but teachers rediscovering the joy in their work, parents learning to see their children differently, and leaders personally committing to the future of their community. The first year is now complete. What we take with us most of all is this: change starts small, with one classroom, one mother, one promise. And that change keeps planting itself forward.