Milestones
Sierra Leone
1995
On project assignment in Sierra Leone with Youth for Christ (YFC), Chris and Debbie Clark encounter orphans and refugee children in dire need of assistance. Committed to finding help, the Clarks return to the United States and begin searching for an organization or mission agency that will come to the children’s aid. Sadly, they find none willing to offer help. Nor, surprisingly, was there a single organization whose sole purpose was to provide for the needs of orphans around the world. Sensing God’s call, Chris and Debbie resign from YFC and found Children of the Nations to meet this very real need.
1996
Our first foreign National Board is set up in Sierra Leone.
1997
COTN purchases a plot of land in Marjay Town, on the outskirts of Freetown, to establish a children’s home for orphaned children. Our first ever short-term missions team (Venture Team) from the US breaks ground in Sierra Leone.
1999
We open our first children’s home in Marjay Town.
2002
With construction complete, the official dedication of our Marjay Town Children’s Home takes place.
2004
COTN is gifted a 45-acre plot of land in Banta Mokelleh, Sierra Leone by the paramount chief to develop into a ministry site.
Our first Church of the Nations is formed in Sierra Leone.
Our first Village Partnership Program in Sierra Leone begins in Ngolala.
2005
Initial ministry at our Banta ministry site begins: a temporary primary school, a medical clinic/malnourishment center, and a skills center.
2007
Construction begins and is completed on the expansion of our Banta Mission Center: permanent school buildings (a nursery school and a primary school) and ten Children’s Homes.
Dedication ceremony of Mallory Jansen Memorial School (Banta) takes place.
Our 98 children from the Marjay Town Children’s Home are transferred to our Banta Children’s Village.
Marjay Town Children’s Home is converted to a community school, the Mallory Jansen Memorial School (Marjay Town).
Additional Village Partnership programs begin in the villages of Mokpangumba and Mosenesi.
2009
Precious Ibrahim becomes the first child from our Children’s Village to graduate from secondary school and begin university.
The dedication takes place of our first Senior Secondary School in Sierra Leone at our Banta Ministry Center.
2010
A celebration marks the fifth year of COTN’s ministry in the Banta Chiefdom.
Children of the Nations–Sierra leone recognized among the top three NGOs in Sierra Leone by national group All Walks of Life (AWOL).