Why I believe and why you should join me.

Why I believe and why you should join me.

www.50strong50wise.com 

Why I believe and why you should join me...My name is Sheka Mansaray, I am a student at Minnesota State University, Mankato. I am majoring in English Education. After I graduated from high school, I was given the chance to go to school and was able to write two books. I have successfully written two books which are entitled “The Tears of my father” and “Desert Rose”. The first book is about paying

 homage to my dad and my life as a child in Sierra Leone, and the second book is about being mature as a poet and giving wisdom to others for personal growth.

Being in the states for so long I had not seen my mother for twelve years, during the winter break on December sixth to January fifth, I departed to my birth place Sierra Leone to visit my mother and distant relatives. I was very happy to see her which for me had been both an emotional and inspirational experience. When I was there, I had the opportunity to visit my childhood elementary school. I saw how the students were struggling, I was deeply saddened and felt bad for them because they were not fortunate to receive the opportunities that I did and still have as a student attending University. I decided to create a foundation that would initiate opportunities that could aide my fellow Sierra Leone people to help them acquire an education.

What do I plan on doing with the generous contributions? What I would like to do with the contributions are sponsor fifty students. Sierra Leone is approaching a monumental fifty years since gaining their independence in 1961. I plan on aiding the students with a two year scholarship that will encompass a hundred dollars a year, in which fifty dollars is going towards school fees and fifty dollars will be used for school uniforms, books and other school expenses. The foundation is going to be called “Fifty Strong, Fifty Wise” which means Sierra Leone is still standing strong after the war and fifty students are going to obtain an education through the foundation.

Why should you help? When I was in Sierra Leone as a child, I was fortunate my parents were able to aide me through school with paying for my education, even in the midst of the war I wanted to go to school. When my father was killed in Sierra Leone my brothers and I were given the chance to come to America. I was happy and thankful for this turn of events. Now I ask myself what I can do to give back to the place that gave me birth and was once all I knew. Seeing all this students who have the same hopes and dreams as I did to be educated and help their family for a better future and promising opportunities. I feel one person can make a difference and these students are talented and gifted in many different ways. I would like to bridge the gap between these gifts and talents these kids share and the unattainable resources due to the economic standards, which we all have become accustomed to here in America where kids get the opportunity to go to school for free. In Sierra Leone, kids are sent home from school due to not being able to afford school fees, the hurt and pain the family feels from this is both saddening and depressing. Without receiving an education or even just having a structured place in which these kids can conform to rule and regulations they are lead to run astray and become bad kids surround around bad decision making. At such a young age, how are they to know any better? When there isn’t any compound structure to abide or model them after. This is where the “Fifty Strong, Fifty Wise Foundation” will play a huge defining role. Since the cost of living and education are expensive for them, they cannot even afford to attend school. With the sum of one hundred dollars every year they will be able to attend school and open up the window of opportunity. Fifty dollars will be used for school fees and the other fifty dollars for books and other school expenses. By assisting me in helping them it will mean the world to me and the students as well. I do believe that one person taking the initiative and another continuing will let the students do justice and also help others in the future. With kids in school, they will learn the different types of professions and be exposed to possibilities they would have never imagined. The talents that they have, they will know what degree’s are out there to work towards which will be used to help the country economically, the crime rates will decline. These contributions will help not only one student but an entire family. The students will be the first generation to attend school willingly and freely. Please I ask that you give me the chance to make a difference in the world and with your help you also will make a difference in one kid’s life and a big help to the world.

Thank you

Sheka Mansaray