By Kadiatu Sankoh
On April 19, 2025, the Highest Regional Journalist, Mr. Stanley Bangura Jr., representing Africa Global Logistics (AGL), distributed school materials to the Freetown Terminal Limited Primary School in Manthagba Village, Sanda Tendaran Chiefdom, Karene District, Northwest Sierra Leone. This initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to support education and empower children in one of the most remote areas of the country.
This community continues to face significant challenges in accessing quality education due to its remote location and limited resources. Africa Global Logistics (AGL), which manages part of the seaport in Freetown, extended this gesture of support to help address these issues.
AGL played a key role in the construction of the Freetown Terminal Limited Primary School four years ago, bringing an end to years of hardship for children in the area and surrounding villages who previously had to walk five miles daily to attend school. This long journey contributed to high dropout rates and low interest in education. However, with the establishment of the school, the number of students has risen from 90 to over 300.
This latest donation marks the third generation of similar support provided to the school. The company supplied 246 locally made school bags, each containing essential learning materials such as 12 notebooks, pencils, pens, sharpeners, erasers, and mathematical sets. “All these are for the pupils,” Bangura emphasized, highlighting the importance of equipping children with the tools they need to succeed academically.
AGL’s Country Manager, Captain Fabjanko Kokan, also pledged the construction of an additional four classroom blocks as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to improving education infrastructure. He further announced plans to build four-bedroom accommodation blocks for teachers to help resolve the challenge of long-distance community which has affected teaching consistency.
To further support and motivate teachers, two prominent Sierra Leonean figures journalist Umaru Fofana and Alhaji Sitta Turay, Information Attaché at the Guinea Embassy committed to donating four bicycles to the teaching staff.
The donation event was met with enthusiasm and appreciation by the community. Students, parents, teachers, and local leaders gathered to celebrate the occasion.
Umaru Fofana, who reports for the BBC, Reuters, and local media, encouraged parents to take education seriously especially for the girl child. He emphasized the importance of discouraging early child marriage, which is now a criminal offense, and urged the community to protect and empower their daughters through education.
The Head Teacher of the school, Musa Mohamed Bangura, expressed deep gratitude to Mr. Stanley Bangura for coordinating the donation and to AGL for their continued support. “These materials are very useful to us, and we appreciate them very much,” he said, acknowledging the positive impact on students’ academic performance.
One student, speaking on behalf of her classmates, extended thanks to the donors: “We say plenty of thanks to you for supporting us with these materials,” she said, reflecting the excitement and appreciation among the pupils.
Chairman Mr. Meccah Bangura also commended the donors for their generosity. “This support means a lot to us. We are grateful and will ensure our children make good use of these materials. In the end, this will help boost their education,” he remarked, while encouraging students to take their studies seriously.
Other community members echoed these sentiments, highlighting the need for more initiatives like this to bridge the gap in educational resources in rural areas.
By addressing the immediate needs of students, this donation eases the burden on families in the Karene District, who often struggle to afford basic school supplies. It also demonstrates the power of collaboration between private companies, community leaders, and local residents to drive meaningful change.
The donation ceremony concluded with the parents and guidance singing songs of gratitude, thanking the donors for their kindness and support.
