Schools

St Andrews School Maima

Construction work on Maima School began in early 2004. At the time of its official opening on 20 November 2004, over 100 children were enrolled at the school. The project has been a great success with wide support from the local community. The trustees of Love Sierra Leone individually funded the building and running of the school and continued funding it via LSL when the charity was formed in 2014.

Prior to 2004, Maima Village and its surrounding eight villages had no primary school. Most children between the ages of six and twelve are illiterate and idle, with a bleak future. This Church-run school provided them with education in the context of good Christian morality, helping them to be productive and God-fearing for the community and the nation.

The school was managed by an independent body comprising the representatives of the parents, other members of the community, the church and representatives from the Sierra Leone Education Ministry. By 2011 the school had grown to approximately 300 pupils.

In 2016, the Sierra Leone Ministry of Education took over the funding and running of St Andrew’s school. Until his death in 2020 Pastor MacCarthy was involved as an advisor, a role now continued by the local church. This is a good outcome – we sowed a seed and it is now a long-term sustainable school.

Bogalow Church School

Bogalow church school is a junior school. It is not supported by the Government so works on a mix of modest fees and free places. It has approximately 200 children attending. We provided some financial support for the school till 2010, and it continues to run today with the local church involved to help as required.