On August 26th, we celebrated one year in the Roots House. It has been a year filled with new experiences, and through it all, we have seen the Lord present. We have seen Him present as the six young adults have taken on new responsibilities. He has been present as Charles and Ally have navigated their role as house parents. We are so thankful for His provision and faithfulness over the past year. Director of ROOTS, Charles Currie, shared a summer update on what has been happening with the Roots Project.
Photo Credit: Jayda Rust
"In the 1 year at the Roots House our kids have completed a year in school, have learned to cook and plan meals, take public transportation, and how to be responsible for their personal space.
School is Out
The school year is done! As excited as we are for the school year to be over, we are even more excited and proud of our kids’ performances. On their most recent grade reports, all 6 of our kids showed improvements in their grades. Three of them increased their grades by ten points or more!
We have a rising senior! Mary Kamara will be entering her final year of secondary school this fall. She aspires to study journalism in college and to also do modeling.
Pending exam results, we will officially have a house full of high schoolers. 4 of our kids will be sitting their BECE (Basic Education Certificate Examination) this month, which allows them to go on to high school.
Photo Credit: Jayda Rust
Our 1st vocational placement
Abdul Brima is officially our first kid to begin vocational training! He began his apprenticeship as a furniture maker on July 1st. He is really enjoying what he’s learning. He is excited to go to work and learn every day. His boss reports that he is doing an excellent job and works really hard. We are very excited for Abdul and what is to come for him.
Summer Opportunities
This year, we are looking for ways to help our kids to learn new skills while school is out. We recently learned of a computer skills training program, not far from the center, that would provide a 4-week course on basic computer skills and Microsoft Word. We would like to send all of our big kids, along with a few caregivers. The cost of attendance is 30,000 (roughly $3.30) Leones per course, which would amount to roughly $140 for 40 people.
We are also interested in teaching a few of our older kids how to drive. We will primarily be focusing on Roots House kids, to begin with. There is a driving school just next door to the national soccer stadium that offers 3-week courses that grant driver’s permits upon completion. The cost is about $150 per person.
Lastly, we want to do college visits with our rising juniors and seniors. We would like to take 3 of our kids to visit the University of Ghana in Accra. The University of Ghana could be a potential landing spot for some of our kids who aspire to study outside of Sierra Leone. We also plan to visit the University of Sierra Leone’s Fourah Bay College as well as some seminaries in Freetown.
Photo Credit: Jayda Rust
College is Coming!
We are soon approaching our first round of college students! Following the 2019-2020 academic year, we will have our first TRS kids complete high school and go on to college. We want to do everything in our power to help ensure that our kids have everything that they need to flourish at the next level, beginning with funding. We will be working to develop a scholarship fund that will help provide assistance for our kids as they start higher education."
Thank you, Charles for the update! We are looking forward to not only celebrating our one year anniversary in the Roots House but also for exciting things on the horizon. Join us in continuing to pray for these young men and women. We pray as they rest and prepare for the new school year, as they begin apprenticeships, and as they continue to transition into independent adults. We are SO thankful for Charles and Ally Currie, our in-country staff, and our team stateside for their dedication and leadership to the Roots Project.
Many blessings,
The Raining Season