Allen, a youth in our Lighthouse program, was born in a small village nestled in the heart of the beautiful district called Port Loko. One day his Aunt visited them in the village and requested to take Allen with her to Freetown, to gain a better education. Allen’s father agreed, and soon after, he watched his excited son bid farewell to the village he called home. Allen imagined a world of knowledge and endless possibilities.
Upon arriving in the bustling city, Allen was faced with a harsh reality. Instead of going to school, his Aunt handed him baskets of charcoal to sell. Within one month, he had already hawked with different goods. He was deeply disappointed, as he realized that his dreams of gaining an education had been put on hold. After a year and a half, his Aunt decided to send him to school, requiring him to hawk after school. Unfortunately, after a while, she stopped supporting him, and he dropped out of school. Allen continued hawking for his Aunt, hoping that he would one day go back to school.
One faithful day, a staff member named Francis met him and inquired about his life and aspirations. Allen shared his story with him. Francis was deeply moved and shared Allen’s story with the other staff. They decided to bring him into the Lighthouse program, residing in the Ale-Ale compound. Now a part of our community, Allen testifies of being shown immense love he had never experienced before. He gained mentors, had his needs met, including schooling, and he later came to know and accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He has now finished his Secondary education and anticipates good results that will enable him to study law at the University of Sierra Leone.
*A pseudonym has been used to ensure privacy.