Transformation Education Visits New Life
A few months ago we were visited by Gwen Smith. She is a former New Life staff member (Dulles Campus Children’s Minister) and is currently running a ministry called Transformation Education in Sierra Leone. Here is a quick FAQ about her ministry for those interested…
What is Transformation Education?
Transformation Education (TE) was started in Sierra Leone, in 2007 by Gwen through God’s grace with the support of many others. As a Pennsylvania State University graduate she taught elementary school in the US, Honduras and England and worked 2 years with Mercy Ship’s Child Development Program in West African countries. It was with Mercy Ships that she was called into educational development and Christian discipleship work in Sierra Leone.
Transformation Education’s vision is all Sierra Leone citizens holistically educated to the glory of God for now and for eternity. Our aim is to equip and mentor citizens to create communities with a Biblical worldview that brings glory to God. Our mission is to equip and mentor citizens to read and love God’s written Word, the Bible. Our main teaching concepts include Christian discipleship, literacy, classroom and behavior management, and teaching/learning methods.
What is the condition of SL Education Sector ?
During Sierra Leone’s last civil war from 1991-2002, about 50,000 people were killed, 2 million displaced, 100,000 mutilated, and 250,000 were raped. The years of war not only disrupted the education of children and youth but left many of them disabled, separated from their families or orphaned. The effects of the Sierra Leone Civil War are clearly seen today as most young people are illiterate, unskilled and unemployed.
(Education in Sierra Leone. Present challenges, future opportunities African Human Development Series, Washington D.C.; The World Bank, 2007, p.16).
- Literacy rate: 41%
- Children enrolled in school: 63%
- Population living on less than $1.25/day: 53%
- Life expectancy: 48 years
What is TE doing?
The TE established a Resource Centre (library) in June 2010. It is being used in many ways. The computers, books and Bible teaching are available for all age groups. Teachers are bringing their classes so they can use the books and educational videos. Children are coming to be tutored, for phonics/reading lessons, to play with the educational toys, read and watch videos. College and high school students are using it as a study library. It is also the head quarters for other TE ministries.
Other TE ministries include the following. TE has shared thousands of books with over one hundred and fifty different schools and churches, provide teacher in-service training for two fifty hundred schools and training for hundreds of church leaders and community members. The principals of eleven schools meet monthly with TE to train, equip, challenge and hold each other accountable.
Want to help TE?
Here are some ways you can partner with TE.
- Come, tutor students whose parents can’t help them because they are illiterate
- Teach English and Bible in a Sierra Leone School
- Tell other people about TE
- Support TE with prayer and finances
- Collect school books and Bibles to be donated next time Gwen is in town (give to Pat Furgerson)
- Donate to help TE hire more teachers
Email Gwen (gwenjoy@gmail.com) for more information.