Children's Village Project

Today, we are raising a generation of Sierra Leone’s children, to be godly people of influence, in the leadership of their country tomorrow and into the future. Our new children’s village is well underway!

Our Agricultural Project is developing farming techniques, animal husbandry practices, and introducing hardy varieties of seeds and starts that produce higher yields. A seed bank is being organized to ensure affordable food will be available during the area’s long drought season, which contributes to the high percentage of malnourished and starving children. The seed bank will also help local farmers safely store seeds for the next planting season.

The Mallory Jansen Primary School of Freetown expanded their campus to Banta in 2004 and is now providing education to 350+ children. Qualified teachers were brought in to educate our children in fundamental subjects. English, the business language of Sierra Leone, was introduced to the children and extra-curricular activities such as dance and choir help to enhance their learning.

Church of the Nations is now caring for congregations in two villages in this predominantly Muslim area. Baptisms are taking place and many youth are being discipled in the word of God on a weekly basis. English and literacy classes give teachers the opportunity to introduce prominent chiefdom figures (such as elders and the wives of village chiefs) to the Good News of Jesus Christ. The JESUS film is part of an on-going evangelistic effort to expose communities to the gospel. Country Director, Angie Myles reported, “We saw a sea of children lifting their hands to receive Jesus.” Newly donated AV equipment made this aspect of ministry possible in Sierra Leone. Hundreds have responded to the Good News.

COTN Medical Clinic in Banta, staffed by two nurses, saw 1,456 patients this past year, of which 503 were children under the age of five. Health and sanitation are major topics of concern and discussion among the villages. Along with providing basic medical care, our nurses teach classes in hygiene and basic preventative health practices to village representatives (Health Animators) and to the children in our school.

Our Feeding Program in Banta consists of two kitchen crews. One kitchen crew works alongside our school and provides children enrolled in our Village Assistance program with one balanced meal each day. The community has seen significant change in the health of their children brought on by this proper nutrition. In an effort to keep an accurate account of the impact this program is having on our children, our national staff regularly tracks the growth and weight gain of each of our children. Our second kitchen is staffed by the mothers of malnourished children that are struggling to live. This past year alone, this unique infant malnourishment program cared for 136 children in the Banta area. Along with providing medical care, nurses teach these mothers how to cook and prepare nutrient-rich food (from locally grown and readily available ingredients) for their infants. Nurses closely monitor the health of these infants during this fragile time.

Banta Mokelleh Children’s Village is quickly becoming a hub of activity for local communities. It will eventually provide an income-generating, rentable facility for large gatherings such as weddings and children’s camps. It will also provide much needed housing for COTN’s visiting short-term teams, interns, and missionaries.