Sierra Leone Scholarships

FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Batonga

50 girls have been awarded secondary school scholarships to attend the new school above, beginning in September 2007. They will enroll in various grades, and the same Batonga scholarship will be paid annually until each girl graduates from grade 12. The scholarship includes tuition, uniforms, school supplies, mentoring and community awareness programs.
funds are being provided for a Vocational Training School in Freetown that currently has 48 girls enrolled, all of whom were rescued from brothels. These girls were forced into the sex trade by crushing poverty and a lack of opportunities for women. All under 20 years of age, each of the girls is close to completing a two-year vocational training program in one of four professions: tie dying, tailoring, soap making and photography.

Adopt a Village in Sierra Leone takes place in the Kono District, the region most affected by the brutal 11-year civil conflict over the country’s diamond mines. More than 10,000 children were forced to fight as soldiers in the diamond war.
Our development efforts focus on strengthening affected communities. Education initiatives rebuild schools destroyed in the conflict and provide quality education programming. Through our education programs, we are helping children affected by war rebuild their lives and their communities, so they can be major contributors to keeping a lasting peace.
Clean water and sanitation projects improve health and reduce the number of chores assigned to girls so they can go to these schools. Alternative income projects provide cows, goats and other sources of income so parents can send their kids to class. Healthcare initiatives address problems specific to this region of Africa, including HIV/AIDS.

FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS

Australian Development Scholarships

The Australia Awards initiative was announced by the Australian Prime Minister in 2009 and aims to maximise the benefit of the Australian Government’s extensive scholarship programs, and to support enduring ties between Australia and our neighbours.
The Australia Awards initiative brings the Australian Government’s scholarship programs together under the one Australia Awards brand.
In 2010-11, the Australia Awards program in Africa will provide both long awards (Australian Development Scholarships) and short-term awards to nationals from 25 countries across Africa.