2017 in Masanga

For this trip we went to 4. Renata, who is responsible for our school and the continuing education of the local teachers, my granddaughter Shanice who will make a film about our program and organize creative activities in 1st child class, Manon who organizes creative activities with the older children with Renata, and me who spent a lot of time with Tolo, our coordinator for the management of the whole program.

This stay happened in good conditions. Our vehicle allows us to travel in conditions of safety, which was far from the case before. We bear at best moisture that is at its maximum. Thanks to our freezer we have frozen vegetables, which is a luxury here because eating local rice with a sauce of potato leaves and traces of dried fish is quickly tedious.

We were welcomed in songs by our 92 students who attend our school this year, divided into 5 classrooms. It seems to us that we always ask too much and that the motivation of the teachers is not really there. Lack of creativity is the main problem. A lot of material remains unused. The good news is that Tolo, our coordinator, is now in our school full time. Renata has worked every day with him and the teachers to show them how to use these materials, so they can make good use of it.

Tolo is still so efficient. He has a lot of work at this time because he has to register all the students in their new school classes, distribute all the school materials to the students, especially to all the new students in high school. They all receive 10 - 12 books. They must give them back at the end of the year, in good condition. Those who lose or make them tatty will have to pay them back.

We made a regulation concerning points that students and families will have to respect. For example, prohibition of excising girls of the program, obligation to stay in the same school until the end of cycles, reimbursement of school fees if the student leaves secondary school during the year, obligation to give Tolo the academic results in time at the end of the year, listing of schools approved outside Masanga, etc. These regulations are at your disposal.

The local MEA committee in Masanga replaced some members following the death of the former chief. We reiterated the need to found a MEA Sierra Leone Association. Tolo will do the necessary.

During a large meeting with representatives of several villages and 11 former excisers, we noted the following points:

• This program exists thanks to Ya Fornah and John Y. Koroma. They receive instructions from MEA management in Switzerland and enforce them. It is useless to complain because they cannot change anything. Families who do not respect our principles will be penalized. 

• We only accept the top 500 students, because we want as much the quality as the quantity. Students who don’t pass their school year have only one more chance. The 2nd time, they will be replaced by a waiting student

• The money comes from different sponsors and they want to see a positive result and the participation of families in our various activities. MEA provides a part and the families another part

• If someone in a village outside Masanga is excising one of their girls, the whole village is excluded of the program. It's up to the ex-excisers to collaborate with the excisors and ask them for the protection of our daughters. Ramatu Fornah checks all the girls and will check again those who come back from long holidays

• Everyone has to go through the main entrance. If Ramatu Fornah's door continues to be used by everyone, it will be permanently closed.

We stayed 2 weeks but it is far too short to do all the necessary work with a reasonable schedule. I am exhausted.

We will probably not start off again until late 2018 or early January 2019. Everything works pretty well and now that Tolo is 100% on the spot, it will be even better. He understood how to use the proposed budget and how to manage with the 500 best students. He is really amazing!

Thank you once again to all for your very valuable support,

Michèle