On August 26th, we celebrated five years since our first six young adults moved into our very first Roots House. The past five years have been filled with new experiences, internships, beginning university, and a lot of learning. We are thankful for the Lord's provision and faithfulness over the past five years. This week, we are celebrating another first – our first young adult, Issa, has graduated from The Roots Project!
Issa came to The Raining Season in March 2010 at just eight years old. His father died in a tragic boating accident in 2009. His mother was left with many children to care for and no support. With no way to provide the care her children needed, she sought to have Issa and his younger sister, Salamatu, placed with TRS.
When Issa turned eighteen, he transitioned into the Roots House. He continued taking classes, and in early 2022, he enrolled in vocational training where he would learn the skills to become a tailor. As he began this internship, he discovered that not only did he enjoy the internship, but he was also very good at it. In November 2022, he even had the opportunity to make a dress for one of our team members. As he continued to excel at his training, our staff began to explore his next step as he would become the first young adult to graduate from Roots.
As Issa transitioned from the Roots House, he was reunified with his older sister, who he will live with in Waterloo as he continues his training. Our leadership staff, both stateside and in Sierra Leone, have been working together diligently to help Issa grow and succeed so that he would be ready for this transition. Part of his reunification was a sewing machine that was given to him through the Roots program so that he will be able to start his tailoring business.
Everyone is incredibly proud of Issa and all that he has accomplished. Uncle Osseh Kamara, co-founder and head of Roots Program Development, shared, "The Roots program was established in order to help our kids to transition into the community and how to become responsible adults by giving them education and empower them to be able to live on their own outside of TRS and Issa Conteh is the first to have gone through this process."
The Raining Season is so proud of and excited for Issa's future as he continues to grow and navigate this new season. Please join us in celebrating and praying for Issa. We pray for a continued smooth transition and that he will continue growing in his faith. We pray as he continues to train as a tailor and start his own business. We pray that he will bring hope for generations to come in his community. Finally, we pray that Issa’s story would be the first of many through The Roots Project.
Issa, we are proud of you, and we believe in you. We will always be one fambul!
Many blessings,
The Raining Season
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