We are partnering with Village Bicycle Project to bring bicycles to the students at the school in Koromasilaia. The junior secondary school (JSS) in Koromasilaia, Koinadugu District, serves not only students in Koromasilaia, but also students coming from primary schools in 13 surrounding communities. This year there are 180 students enrolled in the school. There is a huge need for a secondary school in this area, and the school at Koromasilaia is opening up futures of possibility for students in this region for generations to come. The 2020/2021 academic year exam scores from Koromasilaia were among the highest in the district which is a tremendous accomplishment for a remote school in its first year in a permanent school building.
Koramasilaia has a long history of being a successful host for Peace Corps Volunteers since the 1980’s. The current school was partially funded by RPCVs who lived in Koramasilaia from 1986-1988. They continue to have strong ties with the community. The headmaster of the school is strong, dedicated and highly invested in improving educational outcomes for this school.
Because of the dedication and hard work of the community, the school was approved to be a senior secondary school (SSS) in 2021, in addition to being a JSS. Students must travel 3-5+ miles one way to school. Making bicycles available to students who must travel farthest and are the most vulnerable would make a significant impact on the lives of these students. The walk to and from school can be dangerous especially for girls. Having a bicycle will help keep them safe and save them time which they can dedicate to studying, and necessary house tasks. Bicycles will reduce barriers to education and encourage students who live far from the school to stay in school and attend every day.
Village Bicycle Project’s partnership with Schools for Salone will provide a fleet of bicycles available to those students at the junior secondary school in Koromasilaia who have the highest need. Thier team of experienced trainers and mechanics will also provide a half-day workshop on basic bicycle maintenance, and we will equip a designated administrator at the school with essential bicycle tools and the knowledge to help maintain the fleet of bikes.
Thank you to Steve Bingham and the 1965-67 Peace Corps group for funding these bicycles.
