Hi there
At last Sierra Leone is off the UK “red list” meaning we can reasonably travel back to Sierra Leone in November. For 2 years our income reached £650,000 a year but in the last one it fell to £450,000. In the context that we need about £7 million to complete our initial village completion goal, you can join us in the excitement as we seek some breakthroughs, step by step.
I am amazed at how God continues to provide, and also draw some wonderful helpers to us. We have a group working on logistics, education, one on publicity, another on business and one on health. The inter-connectivity is challenging yet exciting. If you have time and want to be involved do call. We expect to send another container before Christmas and are seeking vital supplies.
Perhaps I could ask you to do one thing this month? Please could you look in your draw and see if you have a phone and charger sat there, not speaking to anyone! We have a huge need for phones as relatively they are so expensive in Sierra Leone. Could you do an amnesty at your church, your work (as your office returns in person) or among school parents. If you could collect and send me unused (yet working!) phones to Park House, SO32 1DR, it’s a practical way you can help.
The pandemic has hit us, like you in all sorts of ways. We have lost friends and relatives, yet our legacy is to live on and make a difference in the lives of those born to a different set of opportunities. Those who have passed, would no doubt remind us to urgently do something that lasts beyond ourselves.
Thank you for your love, prayers, and support, it makes a difference.
God bless and with love,
Nigel Hyde
Chief Executive
Sustainable construction partners
Over the last couple of years, we have not been able to raise as much as we hoped to continue building out the village. However, our construction work with other NGO’s continues to be a vital lifeline in proving sustainable employment. It also enables us to work with some visionary partners and continue to seek those who can multiply our efforts. One we are excited by is a group building a series of children’s homes, addressing the nations orphan challenges. For us this continues to grow our skill base and contributes to some of those in greatest need.
Similarly, we have just done a contract for a school in a place called Regent where we have built a large number of desks and chairs in our fabrication workshop.
Houses now for sale to the Diaspora
We are just buying another acre of land adjacent to Destiny Village, with our building partner Jobomax. This is exciting as we level the land and provide access. Here we do what we can which is the onsite administration, building foundations and substructure of the buildings. Our partner then brings its higher skilled workers from Guinea, who will enhance our workers finishing skills. These houses are largely being bought off plan by the Diaspora. Many of these international Sierra Leoneans want a place in country and many have sent money that does not result in a house! This solves that problem.
It is also exciting that Jobomax are looking to build and sell some of our very low-cost houses on a commercial basis, whose families want to provide homes for their in-country relatives.
Developing Education
This week, Louise Wright, a teacher who is volunteering with us from Nottingham, had the opportunity to work with the Ministry of Education as they visited some of the main towns in the country. She is helping with their curriculum plans and this is so helpful for us, as on the one hand we are building a new school from the ground up and can participate in nation building. In the picture she is in one of the lady’s football teams who recently had a tournament in our village.
Preparing the village for new homes
Last month I asked if there were some who had some funds that were not giving a real return. In particular recognising we can now build homes for £5,000. Two people kindly made such a donation, and a special thank you to them! This meant we were able to get the excavator to clear the land and already we have started making the blocks for these next 2 homes. I think it’s important for charities to be agile and do what we say we will do. I am excited that this means another 2 families will have an opportunity coming their way next year.
A farmer friend gave us some fencing that had sat in his shed a while – above it is used to help the school – what a great help and thank you!
Anti-virus
This extraordinary partnership is exciting. The most difficult part of our work of course is people! In particular offering mindset training and looking at other ways of learning and behaviour with many who have little education and lived life in survival mode.
We have about 20 people meeting each week who will become leaders. There are 21 values such as identity, dignity, honesty (based on the Book of Proverbs). Each week the groups meet in a round table, go deep with a value and commit to an action that will help them grow in that value. We are honoured that one of the head leaders, Jesus, and our key partner, Santiago will hopefully be joining us from Brazil in November to turbo boost this program and see where else we can develop the principles in the society. To learn more, have a look at https://p4s.co/mision-antivirus.
Come and help!
Are you missing international travel? Would you like to use your holiday time for good? Does your company have a corporate social responsibility program where employees can benefit from helping others?
If the answer to any of these is yes, and you are ready to travel next year then send me an e mail today at nigel.hyde@homeleone.org. We have groups going early February and early June so please consider coming.
Before establishing Home Leone, my life’s purpose was enabling people to do short term mission and corporate trips. Over and over again, volunteers noted, “I thought I was going to help but they gave me so much more.” An amazing symbiotic relationship exists as we help and enable some of those with the least on earth.
Church Development
Easter 2018 saw the new Destiny Community Church planted in Destiny Village. 2.5 years on the church has about 80 people from the village and surrounding villages. We are working with the church to help develop relationships with those in the informal areas and enable them to outreach to others. This includes meeting with some minister to some of Sierra Leones most impoverished and those who have suffered from flood, fire or either calamity. These relationships mean that much of the donated clothes we send through our container program can reach those most in need.
