Students at a Free The Children school in Sierra Leone.

 “From small beginnings come great things”
~Anonymous

The new year is a time for starting fresh. This is the story of Theresa, a young girl from Sierra Leone, and her new beginning.

Theresa lost her father when she was very young. In 1998, during the country’s 11-year civil war, her father was killed by the rebels in her home village of Baiama.

After her father’s death, Theresa’s mother was left to care for six children on her own. Her only source of income came from vegetable gardening, so she could not afford to send Theresa to school.

One day, because of the generous donations of youth in North America, Free The Children built a primary school in Theresa’s village. Not only was the school much closer to her home, but each student also received school supplies at no cost.

This meant Theresa could go to school!

Today, she is one of the best students in her class. Going to school brought a new beginning to Theresa’s life, one that she is able to share with hundreds of other children in Sierra Leone who now attend Free The Children schools.

This new year, what new beginning will you create?

Build a school
Provide school supplies
Learn more about Sierra Leone