Our list of hopes and plans for local development in Bumpe extends well beyond Bumpe High School to the entire community. The following list of possibilities will need cooperation with other entities and government alike, and some of these issues will eventually be solved by Bumpe High School graduates.

Keeping Children Educated Bathrooms and proper bathing facilities are badly needed for students at Bumpe High School. Girls tend to drop out of school when they begin menstrual cycles and must try to manage at school with no proper bathrooms or supplies. They are more likely than boys to fall behind in schoolwork and eventually to drop out. We urgently need to restore bathrooms and the septic system to relieve these problems.

A sign encouraging young women to attend school and gain an education, something that goes far beyond the simple benefits of obtaining knowledge – education can have a profound impact on the entire lifestyle of an individual

The rebels not only destroyed the bathrooms by setting it on fire and ripping the roof off, but they also destroyed the water system
© 2007 Sarah Bones/Global Action Foundation

Sierra Leone has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world: one in eight women die from pregnancy or childbirth
• Children in SL have the least chance of all the world’s children of surviving past their fifth birthday. One in four children will die before their fifth birthday.
• Families choose to send boys to school over girls. The girls that are allowed to go to school often drop out because they are unable to manage their menstrual cycles without sanitary napkins and running water. Female teachers are also unable to work in places without running water.
• Girls who receive seven years of education get married four years later and have 2 less children. Given the maternal mortality rate, education can save girl’s lives.

As pointed out by former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Anan, women provide the last line of defense on which the survival of children primarily depends and “there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women”.

In his message to The State of the World’s Children 2007 Anan said: “When women are healthy, educated and free to take the opportunities life affords them, children thrive and communities flourish, reaping a double dividend for women and children.”

Young mothers from the Bumpe Chiefdom out for a stroll with Sarah
© 2007 Sarah Bones/Global Action Foundation

The Sierra Leone government is unable to provide adequate care, and Bumpe needs regular visits by actual doctors and reasonable access to hospital care. We are interested in working with organizations devoted to rural health care education and delivery who might assist with medical care in Sierra Leone.

Dr. Barrie(in red shirt on the left) and Dan Kelly (in the blue shirt, back to the camera) are the Global Action Foundation and they work hard to provide care medical care for the people in Sierra Leone
© 2007 Sarah Bones/Global Action Foundation

Communities like Bumpe need support for innovation.
• We are interested in a micro-loan program to support residents entering small local businesses.
• We’d like to find expertise to provide and to support adult literacy programs, using new and existing facilities and resources.
• We are looking for ways to support other local schools; they lack basic necessities like paper, pencils and pens.

About twenty years ago, Sierra Leone exported rice. Today, food supplies are inadequate. We would like to help identify partners to support agricultural training (perhaps at the school) for both crops and livestock farming.

Bumpe High School was once fully powered by petrol-fueled generators. This is impractical and expensive at present. Solar technology might serve the school and community well. We need some engineering expertise and resources. But, we really need electricity to upgrade all educational efforts. Students today really do study by candlelight!

We need to help Sierra Leone rebuild and pave the road from Bumpe to Bo (Sierra Leone’s second largest city). Just 14 miles long, this is the primary connection to trade and business opportunities, and especially to specialized medical care. It is currently a difficult and treacherous one hour trip!

Bumpe High School’s Electricity A down-the-road project is solving the problem of electric power and computer/internet access for Bumpe High School and community. This could transform instruction and life more quickly and effectively than any other single step but it is unlikely to be achieved without a substantial number of intermediate steps. We remain tuned in to continuing reports on how such services are being developed to creatively reach students in remote and rural communities worldwide.

Bumpe High School’s Future Arts Program When Judy Culberson offered an origami session during her visit to Bumpe, students loved it. This was probably the first hands-on art project with beautiful materials many of them had worked on. A creative arts teacher is on our list of future plans for the school. One of our goals is to get art back into the school for the students.

Students enjoying their origami projects