Lilomi is a small, UK-registered charity, founded in 2018 by Bethany Davies and some of her friends, to support the Jonathan’s Child Care (JCC) school and orphanage located in Bo, a city with a population of around 250,000 in southern Sierra Leone. The school, which is Lilomi's sole beneficiary, is led by Winston Davies, Bethany's Sierra Leonean husband.
When Winston arrived at JCC in 2015, the school offered only basic education up to the age of 11 (primary school). It was perceived by the community as an under-performing, government-funded school, with overcrowded, poorly-controlled classes and demotivated teachers, who often left classes unattended for prolonged periods. Academic outcomes were poor.
Since 2015, Winston has embarked on a turn around plan for the school which Lilomi supports by providing additional funding for development projects that improve the lives and opportunities for the children there.
The first of Lilomi’s projects was the complete replacement of the water and sanitation facilities for the school. This was funded entirely by Lilomi and In May 2021, JCC were able to open two new toilet blocks with a total of 13 flushing toilets, complete with a new water tower, deepened well and solar-powered pump.
The school now provides education for children up to age 18, the official school leaving age in Sierra Leone. Whilst fees are charged, the school endeavours to keep these at a level to promote access to education for all. However, for those for whom education would otherwise be beyond their means, it also offers scholarships ranging from 50% to 100%, which cover not only fees, but all learning materials, uniforms, shoes, bags etc. Currently, 54 children receive financial support from the school. Any financial surplus which the school generates, is re-invested in the school and its facilities.
Exams in Sierra Leone are regulated by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), which covers Nigeria, Ghana, the Gambia and Sierra Leone. By 2019, JCC had risen to third in the Southern Province ranking of results in the NPSE (end of primary exams taken at age 11) and last year they came first. The BECE (exams taken at the end of junior secondary school) results are also improving year on year.
Lilomi is now working with JCC to transform the school into a Centre of Excellence for Science and Maths, where teachers have the training, the infrastructure and the equipment to pass on their passion for their subjects and enrich their students' lives. Lilomi also wants those educational opportunities to be available to children regardless of background or family financial resources.
Join the board of Lilomi, a small UK charity supporting vulnerable children in Sierra Leone. Help guide our partnership with JCC, a...
