Koromasilaia, Sierra Leone:
Watch as a new school is built

In a small, rural, way up-country community -- in one of the world's poorest nations.
Day-by-day photos and videos show the process and progress, start to finish.
(Work started on April 3, 2025 and is expected to take 2½ - 3 months).
Map of greater West Africa showing location of Sierra Leone
West Africa map closer up
Map of Sierra Leone showing location of Koromasilaia and population density of districts
Close-up Satellite+Road map of Koromasilaia and Madina area

Koromasilaia is a rural community in the far northern part of Sierra Leone, a little off the main road north of Kabala, in the Falaba District, the country's least densely populated district. I contributed, through the wonderful non-profit, Schools for Salone (SfS), to have them build this new school, to replace a building that was falling down (described as a 'death trap' for the students).

This new Senior Secondary School (high school level) will join the Junior Secondary School that Schools for Salone built in Koromasilaia in 2020 (adding to a primary school that was already in the village) so that students in the 14 surrounding communities can continue their educations. Access to quality education is a globally-recognized solution to the cycle of poverty.

One of those communities is the nearby hamlet of Madina, where I contributed several years ago to build a primary school. Now the kids from that Madina primary school can go on to secondary school in Koromasilaia (the closest Junior Secondary School and now Senior Secondary School), ensuring a full 12 years of education for those Madina kids.

I was able to travel to Sierra Leone in October, 2023, to visit that primary school (and made a YouTube video of a celebration of the school's opening). The trip, and getting immersed in Sierra Leone, was an intense, profound, and amazing experience. Seeing first hand not just how little they have, and how much of a difference we can make, but also how much having that chance to get an education meant to the children and their parents, has inspired me to continue to contribute as best I can. 

While I will provide additional ongoing support (also through SfS) for teacher training, books, and educational supplies, there are other needs in the Koromasilaia school complex and community that I hope to raise additional funds to complete -- like rehabbing a small structure on the site to be a safe, usable library; grading an area for a soccer field; and planting fruit trees for shade, carbon capture and food for the students. If you would like to donate to a 'Koromasilaia special project' fund to help complete these added projects, go to the SfS donation page and write "Koromasilaia special project" in the 'Donation Comments' box. Any and all donations to SfS, at any time, and for this or any other purpose, I can assure you will be spent wisely and do a huge world of good for children in Sierra Leone. Tenki (many thanks)!

Koromasilaia and Madina are just two of many villages destroyed during the nation's 11-year Civil War, which ended in 2002. Twenty-three years later, the country is still healing from the atrocities committed and wide-spread destruction of schools, hospitals and other essential services and resources.

You can learn more about Schools for Salone at their linked website and go to their YouTube channel  to learn, see, and hear even more.

~Ken Lans

Week_1

April 4-10. Digging trenches for the foundation and erecting steel rebar for pillars.
Photos, videos, & comments from Clinton Caulker, SfS's Sierra Leonean partner in charge of the project.

4 images17 videos

Week_2

April 11-17. Mixing cement, forming cement blocks, and working on the foundation.

12 images20 videos

Week_3

April 18-24. Completion of foundation and walls start going up. Community pitches in and dances.

10 images22 videos

Week_4

April 25-May 1: The walls go up, the columns and pillars are concreted, lintels on windows and doors are constructed with iron rods and concrete, and reinforced tie beams are poured.

10 images16 videos

Week_5

May 2-8: Arches are formed and concreted, gables built, and boards ripped for the roofing.

7 images12 videos

Week_6

May 9-15: Work starts on the roof, fascia boards are added, and the roof is completed! Work starts on the ceilings.

8 images17 videos

Week_7

May 16-22: Ceilings inside and over the veranda and walkway outside are installed, walls plastered, windows and doors installed, and skilled carpenters begin to make classroom furniture onsite.

10 images24 videos

Week_8

May 23-29: Windows & doors installed, walls plastered, reveals of windows/doors/pillars finished, floors screeded, coping & drainage around building put in, railings installed, and classroom furniture built.

10 images22 videos

Week_9

May 30-June 5: Railings installed and finished, veranda screeded, final painting of classroom furniture, and whitewashing starts in the classrooms.

5 images2 videos

Modified 5/30/25, 4:02 PM
80 images152 videos