Representatives from Government & private Institutions, Petifu Village Community, pedestrians and vehicles ploughing the Bo Masiakia High Road joined us in planting more trees on our demonstration site. Majority of planters named their trees In order to sustain the trees during this dry season, we irrigated the farm and built ample shade over the area of planting. The campaign remains open to the public who can use available name tags to identify their trees in the future.
Agroforestry Demonstration Plot – February 2020
This demonstration plot is created in support of our upcoming Tree Planting Challenge which features Agroforestry (planting cash crops & trees on the same farm) practices. We chose farms in swamp areas for irrigation purposes to plant economic trees among existing vegetable crops. The expected outcome of this methodology is no deforestation as economic trees such as guava/mangoes etc. provide annual income and therefore unlikely to be cut down. We planted 20 tamarand around the perimeter on farm 1; intercropped papaya with existing vegetables on farm 2 and farm 3 with Cashew. Ultimately, the women will benefit from both cash and economic tree crops whilst the trees sequester carbon.
KHA celebrates Christmas with kids of Petifu Village – 25th Dec 2019
KHA had a great time with Petifu kids and food and snack gift bags with them. Thanks, and appreciation goes to our donors; Skyway Youth, Rokel Commercial Bank, Mr Buffy Bailor, Dr George Morgan, Dr Saffiatu Tunis, Mr Moseray and Skye Bank
Keeping Hope Alive Launches new Garden & Tree Crop Nursery at Waterloo - MAY 2019
Tree planting with Nelson Mandela School kids to commemorate World Environmental Day on 5th June 2019
Rokel Commercial Bank Executives launched the opening of this new Nursery at York Road, Waterloo Rural. Representing the Benguema Army Barracks was Lt Col Daniel Conteh a.k,a Mabanta and the Adjutant.
The ceremony was attendeda trip to the village on 24/9/18, Ms Neneh Tunis handed out clothes and shoes to the women and girls. The rice was also distributed among female family heads to feed their families.
Rbehalf of the women, the Chair Lady of Keeping Hope Alive Farmers Association offered appreciation and thanks to Ms Leopold for her generosity. She further thanked Keeping Hope Alive for bringing relief to the village and commended the Founder for her honest and transparent approach.
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Another landmark event with the kids attending this school, KHA engaged with them to plant trees around their school gardens. They had fun naming the trees such as Hope Tree, Success Tree etc. In the presence of local community Heads, members, school personnel KHA educated the school kids and community on the importance of safeguarding the environment and encouraged them to be vigilant in nurturing the trees which will serve as their legacy.
Keeping Hope Alive New Garden & Tree Crop Nursery at York Road, Waterloo – Feb 2019
This Nursery (area - 0.667 acre) was developed in aid of our outreach programs; community development, mitigate climate change. Furthermore, KHA will generate income from sales of seedlings which will ensure sustainability of our projects and minimal donor reliance. Through the technical assistance from the Forestry Division - Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry (MAFF) the nursery proudly hosts economic, indigenous and exotic hardwood species as well as vegetables. True to our Mission, majority of our workers are women & girls who previously had no job opportunities or prospects.
Ms Comfort Leopold donates rice & clothing items to Makondu women & girls
During a trip to the village on 24/9/18, Ms Neneh Tunis handed out clothes and shoes to the women and girls. The rice was also distributed among female family heads to feed their families.
On behalf of the women, the Chair Lady of Keeping Hope Alive Farmers Association offered appreciation and thanks to Ms Leopold for her generosity. She further thanked Keeping Hope Alive for bringing relief to the village and commended the Founder for her honest and transparent approach.
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Mr Lightfoot Taylor of Manor River Freight Services donates relief items to Makondu women & girls
Following his visit on 17/5/18, Mr Lightfoot Taylor fulfilled his promise by donating items of clothes, shoes and bags to the women and children.
In her speech, Ms Neneh Tunis highlighted to the women that the items being distributed were donated by Mr Lightfoot Taylor. The beneficiaries were thankful and broke into songs; some instantly wore their outfits whilst others modelled the new handbags they received. They sent messages of prayers and thanks to Mr Lightfoot Taylor.
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Mr Lightfoot Taylor of Manor River Freight Services Visits Makondu Village
Mr Lightfoot Taylor who is, and has been a great supporter and sponsor of Keeping Hope Alive visited the village on 17/5/18. Having toured the Garden & Tree Crop Nursery, the community members welcomed Mr Lightfoot Taylor with songs and prayers. He expressed his admiration for the organization's achievement and efforts towards empowering the women through Agroforestry.
Mr Lightfoot Taylor also thanked the women and girls for their hard work with the Nursery and gave them words of encouragement to remain steadfast and work with Keeping Hope Alive to better their lives. Amidst loud applause, he promised to increase his support towards Keeping Hope Alive in aid of helping Makondu community and its environs. Towards the end of the visit, Mr Lightfoot Taylor distributed money and food to the community members and promised to donate relief items. In response, the Chair Lady and Secretary of Keeping Hope Alive Farmers Association expressed their thanks and gratitude to Mr Lightfoot Taylor for his support and efforts made to visit the village.
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Mr Fraser donates school supplies to the secondary school kids of Makondu Village
Mr E Fraser, a school teacher in London is one of our longstanding supporters. He paid a surprised visit to the secondary school kids at Makondu Village on 7/4/17 and distributed school supplies to them. Alongside these, we also distributed water bottles donated by Mr Ronald Macauley from New Jersey/USA. The students welcomed Mr Fraser with prayers and songs. They thanked him not just for his kind donations but also because they were happy he cared enough to pay them a visit.
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Mr Edward Koroma (Secretary of Keeping Hope Alive Farmers Association) chaired the meeting and also expressed his thanks and appreciation on behalf of the parents. He explained that since Makondu does not have a secondary school, the students walk seven miles daily to attend the nearest school at Romanor Village without proper footwear or protective gear when it rains. Mr Koroma further highlighted that they return home to assist with food preparation etc; then cannot study because they don't have electricity/lamps and/or sitting areas to study. As such they don't do well in school and several have dropped out of school as a result.
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In response, Mr Fraser expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome and that he was glad to have visited the village. He stated he was however alarmed at the lack of basic educational facilities and proceeded to give them words of encouragement. Mr Fraser concluded his message with a promise to support Keeping Hope Alive with a well equipped library to enable students to study.
US Olympian Couple Supports Mudslide Victims
Will & Queen Claye made a cash donation to surviving victims of the mudslide disaster which occurred on August, 14th 2017 in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The disaster claimed the lives of hundreds and left more than 2,000 people in a state of destitution. We purchased toiletry supplies which we distributed to victims during our visit on 8th September 2017.
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Our first stop was at the Connaught Hospital. We were accompanied by the hospital's Matron and Registrar, as we delivered the kits to victims including 13-year old Daniel who had an injured right hand and amputated left leg. We went on to visit the Old School Camp at Hill Station. In total, we distributed kits to 165 beneficiaries who expressed their gratitude to the generous couple.