My Name is Christiana Caiquo, In 2022, I had the privilege of returning to my homeland, Sierra Leone, for the first time in over 25 years. It was an incredible experience to reconnect with the beauty of the country, the warmth of the people, and the richness of our culture. From stunning landscapes to our delicious cuisine, it was truly a journey filled with nostalgia and deep appreciation.
While there, I met three orphaned girls—Hawa, Aminata, and Fatima—who touched my heart in a profound way. Their situation brought me back to memories of my own childhood and reminded me of the challenges many children face. It was a powerful moment that captured my heart and left a lasting impression.
This challenged me to make a change in their life, bringing forth LATTER DAYS FOUNDATION.
Sierra Leone is a small country in West Africa with a population of 8.61 million. It is known as one of the poorest countries in the world, despite being rich in natural resources, particularly gold and diamonds. The nation's land is abundant with minerals and oil, which could potentially provide wealth for the government and its citizens. However, wealthier nations have historically exploited these resources, preventing Sierra Leone from benefiting fully. Many may be familiar with the film Blood Diamond, which highlighted Sierra Leone's diamond trade and its connection to the brutal civil war that erupted in 1991. This conflict left many children orphaned and forced to live on the streets.
Sierra Leone gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1961, but after 11 years of civil unrest, more than 120,000 people were killed, and millions were displaced by violence and insecurity. Over 5,000 children were forcibly recruited as child soldiers, often drugged and forced to commit atrocities. These children were subjected to threats of violence against their families if they refused. Many young girls were exploited as domestic workers or sex slaves.The Struggles of Orphans in Sierra Leone
The aftermath of Sierra Leone's civil war left thousands of children orphaned, many of whom had lost their families to violence or were abandoned due to the extreme poverty that followed the conflict. With limited access to basic necessities like food, shelter, and healthcare, these children were forced to live on the streets or in overcrowded homes.
Orphaned children, without the protection and guidance of their families, became highly vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Many were coerced into child labour, while girls were often trafficked or forced into domestic servitude. The lack of stable homes also meant that many orphans could not attend school, leaving them trapped in cycles of poverty.
Just as the nation began to recover from the war, another tragedy struck—the Ebola outbreak of 2014. Sierra Leone was one of the hardest-hit countries during the West African Ebola epidemic. The virus killed over 11,000 people across the region, leaving behind a new wave of orphans. In Sierra Leone alone, an estimated 12,000 children lost one or both parents to the disease.
These Ebola orphans faced a unique set of challenges. Many were stigmatized by their communities, seen as "contaminated" or "cursed" due to their association with the virus. This social stigma compounded their isolation and made it even harder for them to find care and support. Traditional family networks, which are a vital part of the social fabric in Sierra Leone, were disrupted as relatives feared taking in orphaned children, worried they might bring the virus into their homes.
Despite efforts by international organizations and local charities to provide support, the overwhelming number of orphans has stretched resources thin. Many of these children still struggle with trauma and a lack of access to education, healthcare, and stable homes. Organizations continue to work on rehabilitating these children, offering them hope for a better future, but the long-term impact of both the civil war and the Ebola crisis remains a significant challenge for Sierra Leone.
My Mission is to Provide a Safe Home for not just my GIRLS but for other Orphans just like them in Sierra Leone. To watch them grow has brought me so much joy.
With just £100 we can transform the life of a child by covering their basic needs by paying for their school fees, school equipment, and uniform for an entire year.
My three girls have endured great hardship in their past years, they are now in the care of my family friend who despite having their own children, have opened their home to these girls, providing them with the care and support they desperately needed. Since my first trip in 2022 I now have 6 girls that I care for. I am committed to extending this support to more children in similar situations.
I have acquired a land where I have started building a home that will serve as an orphanage, offering a safe and nurturing environment for these 6 girls and many other others and motherless children in Sierra Leone. The cost to build a 6-bedroom house, which will accommodate 12 children is £15,000.
Your assistance is crucial in helping me reach this goal and provide these children with a stable and loving home. Any contribution, big or small, will make a significant difference in their lives. https://www.instagram.com/latter_days_foundation/profilecard/?igsh=NTFzbHNhdjh2emg0
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Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website?
Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website and How We Support Other GoFundMe Campaigns
At LFEBridge Foundation, we are dedicated to creating a platform where individuals and organizations can maximize their fundraising efforts. As part of our commitment to supporting a wide range of causes, we incorporate articles and URLs from GoFundMe into our website. Here’s why you might see GoFundMe content on our site, how it benefits the fundraising community, and our relationship with GoFundMe:
1. Amplifying Reach for Fundraising Campaigns
Increased Visibility: By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our platform, we help increase the visibility of various fundraising campaigns. This additional exposure can attract more donors and supporters, helping campaigns achieve their goals more quickly.
Cross-Promotional Opportunities: Highlighting campaigns from GoFundMe allows us to support a broader spectrum of causes and connect with a wider audience. This cross-promotion benefits both the campaign organizers and potential donors looking for causes to support.
2. Supporting Campaign Growth
Advertising and Promotion: We understand the importance of visibility in successful fundraising. By showcasing GoFundMe campaigns, we provide an advertising platform that helps these campaigns reach potential donors who might not have discovered them otherwise.
Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with GoFundMe and featuring their campaigns on our site strengthens the fundraising ecosystem, ensuring that worthwhile causes receive the attention and support they deserve.
3. Expanding Donor Networks
Broader Donor Base: Featuring a variety of campaigns from different platforms helps diversify and expand the donor base. This means more people can learn about and contribute to a variety of causes, ultimately driving higher engagement and donations.
Enhanced Outreach: By integrating GoFundMe content, we help campaigns tap into new networks and communities, broadening their reach and potential impact.
How We Help Other GoFundMe Campaigns Grow
1. Featured Campaigns Section
Highlighting Noteworthy Campaigns: We have a dedicated section on our website where we feature noteworthy GoFundMe campaigns. This not only gives these campaigns a spotlight but also encourages visitors to explore and contribute to them.
Rotating Features: To ensure a diverse range of campaigns get visibility, we regularly rotate the featured campaigns. This continuous update keeps the content fresh and engaging for our audience.
2. Social Media Promotion
Sharing Across Platforms: We share selected GoFundMe campaigns on our social media channels to reach a broader audience. Our followers, in turn, can share these posts, amplifying the reach even further.
Engagement Strategies: Utilizing effective engagement strategies, such as storytelling and compelling visuals, we enhance the appeal of these campaigns, driving more traffic and donations.
3. Email Newsletters
Campaign Highlights: Our email newsletters often include highlights of impactful GoFundMe campaigns. By doing so, we bring these causes directly to the inboxes of our subscribers, encouraging more people to get involved and donate.
Donor Updates: We keep our donors informed about the progress and success of the campaigns they have supported, fostering a sense of community and continued engagement.
LFEBridge Foundation's Independence
It’s important to clarify that LFEBridge Foundation is an independent entity and is not part of or affiliated with GoFundMe. While we feature and support GoFundMe campaigns on our site, we operate as a separate foundation dedicated to collecting donations for various causes, similar to GoFundMe. Many of these causes are displayed on our website to provide donors with a wide range of options to support.
Conclusion
By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our website, LFEBridge Foundation supports a wide array of fundraising campaigns, helping them gain the visibility and donations they need to succeed. Through our promotional efforts and strategic partnerships, we aim to create a robust and supportive environment for all fundraising initiatives.
For more information on how we support fundraising campaigns or to explore featured campaigns, visit https://LFEBridge.com or contact us at support@lfebridge.com.
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