JANUARY 2021 UPDATE

Happy New Year to all our supporters, followers, staff and students. We wish you all a happy, healthy and productive 2021.

We promised to keep you up to date with the progress of the building of the new female toilets. Thanks to the generous donation of an anonymous supporter, work on these has now started.

Cement bags being unloaded

Sand delivered.

Mixing the cement

The Spring Term started yesterday and we welcomed back the students, eager to resume their studies after the Christmas holiday.

DECEMBER 2020 UPDATE 7

As we come to the end of 2020 we thank all the many individuals who through their regular or one-off donations have enabled Extra Mile to survive and move forward. We also thank the many organizations whose support we have greatly appreciated. In no particular order we thank

Crown Couriers for helping with the transfer of barrels to Essex for shipping.

The Marist School, West Byfleet, for providing a range of curriculum resources

St Richard’s Primary in Chichester for providing curriculum resources and the proceeds from the Christmas Jumper day.

St Thomas More Catholic Secondary, Eltham, providing curriculum resources

St Ursula’s, Greenwich, providing resources and funding from Lenten activities

Annecy Catholic Primary for providing furniture and curriculum resources

MWIB providing funding to support improving literacy in Goderich

Panther Truck Rental providing vans to transport resources for shipping to Sierra Leone.

Various Rotary clubs in the Midlands providing the equipment and resources for the science laboratory

St James’s Place providing the funding that enabled the construction of the science laboratory.

Trustees, students, staff and parents salute you all and wish you a healthy, happy and successful 2021.

The focus of Extra Mile in 2020 has been improving the life chances of children and young adults in Goderich, Sierra Leone. We leave you with a photo of the last lessons today, providing catch up lessons to our 2021 BECE candidates.

DECEMBER 2020 UPDATE 6

Successful BECE students in school today to receive their results. Much happiness and acknowledgement that all their hard work paid off. Well done to all 25 of you.

7 happy students displaying their BECE certificates.

Trustees and all Extra Mile’s supporters in the UK send many congratulations to our Country Director, Moses Conteh, and his wife, Marie, for the birth of their second daughter. Moses says mother and daughter are doing well. We hope to have a picture and the name of the new addition to the Extra Mile family soon.

DECEMBER 2020 UPDATE 5

BREAKING NEWS

Trustees are delighted to report that all 25 students entered for the BECE examinations passed, with some exceptional results. In Integrated Science all 25 students achieved the highest grade, 1. In Business Studies 8 students achieved the highest grade,1. In Physical and Health Education, the 4 students entered for the examination all achieved the highest grade, 1. Particular note must be made of the achievements of Steven Conteh and Abubakar Koroma, both students achieved 3 grade 1s in their 8 subjects taken. Trustees congratulate all the students who completed their BECE successfully and wish them all success in their WASSCE studies. Trustees thank all the staff for their splendid efforts in enabling the students to achieve these magnificent results.

Some of the BECE students before taking their first examination this summer.

This year’s BECE students are benefitting from extra lessons during the Christmas holiday, working on weaknesses seen in the end of term tests recently taken. We thank the staff who have provided these additional sessions which we are confident will have a really beneficial impact on the results in 2021.

Elsewhere Site manager, Mohamed Conteh, and students Aminata and Rebecca have been busy repainting some of the communal areas which get the most traffic in school. They have done a splendid job. We thank them for all their hard efforts.

Extra Mile staff have been busy in this Christmas season helping at community events such as a party for poor and vulnerable children. We thank them all for taking Extra Mile’s mission to the wider community.

You both make wonderful Father Christmases.

DECEMBER 2020 UPDATE 4

Term is over but eager exam class students attend extra classes in the week before and after Christmas to help prepare them to do well in their BECE exams in 2021.

Tackling problems set for them by the staff,

We thank the staff who have generously given up their time in the holidays to provide extra tuition to our students.

We thank all our supporters for their generosity in 2020 which has enabled Extra Mile to survive and to continue its mission of improving the life chances of poor and vulnerable children and young adults in Goderich, Sierra Leone. We wish you all a very happy Christmas, a healthy, safe and fulfilling 2021.

DECEMBER 2020 UPDATE 3

Extra Mile is extremely grateful for the generous donation of £227, from St Richards Catholic Primary School, Chichester, raised through pupils wearing Christmas jumpers to school today. A magnificant gesture which will make such a difference to our ability to provide support to the pupils in our school. Many thanks to all the pupils , staff and parents at St Richards and a very happy and healthy Christmas to you all..

All looking very festive in their Christmas jumpers.

The trustees of Extra Mile are also extremely grateful to Tim Seagers at 3 Crown Couriers. When our usual courier was unable to deliver the barrels from Rugby to Essex, Tim stepped in at very short notice to complete the delivery so that it met the loading schedule for the next ship to Sierra Leone. Pupils and staff will benefit greatly from the contents of the 3 barrels. Christmas came early. Thank you.

Our Country Director has been greening the school’s site since it was gifted by the community of Ober Funkia .All his effots are paying off with harvests of fruits such as coconuts, mango, plantain and pawpaw. Well done.

DECEMBER 2020 UPDATE 2

The Trust Board met for the last time in 2020 this week, reviewing 2020 and planning for 2021. The Trust Board wish all our suppoorters and followers a very happy Christmas and a much better 2021.

After the rigours of the examination week students relaxed in their breaktimes this week with some mindfulness exercises provided by Ishmael Bockerie, our Logistics Manager. Much enjoyment was had by those who participated and those who spectated.

Trustees are very grateful and thank the supporters who responded to our appeal to donate part or all of their winter fuel allowance to Extra Mile. This enabled us to use it partly to pay our staff in Sierra Leone a bonus for all their efforts during a year that has brought many challenges, not least that posed by Covid. We thank all our staff in Sierra Leone for their tremendous efforts during 2020 which is helping to improve the life chances of our students.

DECEMBER 2020 UPDATE1

Nearly the end of the week for all the students taking their end of term tests. Well done to all the staff who have made it possible and all the hard work of the students in preparing themselves for the tests.

We are extremely grateful for the exceedingly generous donation by two anonymous supporters who have donated the funds to complete the construction and furnishing of the female toilets on the first floor. We will keep you up to date as the work progresses but our female students and staff are delighted. Photos will be available once work begins.

Please remember to use the easyfundraing website for Extra Mile as you start to do your Christmas shopping. You can find details on our get Involved uk page on this website. Every bit helps. One of our supporters has raised £42.50 when renewing their broadband contract. recently.

NOVEMBER 2020 UPDATE 4

Many congratulations to our member of staff Ibrahim Kpaka and his new wife Simeonette on their wedding day. What a wonderful couple. We congratulate them and wish them all joy and a long and happy marriage.

Next week our end of term exams begin for all the students. Here you can see the exams committee finalising the test papers and typing them up for printing, ready for the Monday start. Well done to all of you.

All of this effort is to ensure that our students progress well and are rewarded for their efforts.

NOVEMBER 2020 UPDATE 3

Every so often something happens which reminds you why supporters work so hard to support our mission in Sierra Leone. An unsolicited post on Facebook from one of our new studenrs admitted in October 2020.

Meanwhile the life of the school in all its manifestations carries on. Here we see our Site Manager, Mohamed Conteh, treating the iron rods in the ceiling to stop them perishing . Once the ceiling is plastered and painted this will not be needed again. We are working hard to raise the funds to carry out this work to our school’s first floor.

As we come to the end of the first term of the school year, students are hard at work revising for their end of term tests.

If you are begiining to start planning your Christmas cards and are thinking of sending them vitrually this year, please go to the Extra Mile Facebook page where you can see two options for sending cards whilst supporting Extra Mile. Here is an example of one of the cards.

We are extremely grateful to those supporters who have donated all or part of their winter fuel allowance to Extra Mile to enable us to carry on our work. If you wish to do something similar we would be very appreciative. Please go to our Donate page on the website if this is what you would like to do.

NOVEMBER 2020 UPDATE 2

129 students celebrated receiving prizes and certificates at the school's annual prizegiving.Well done to them all. Thanks to all the staff who made such a memorable event happen.

Logistics Manager Ishmeal Bockerie unloading the latest barrels to arrive, checking the inventory and making arrangements for the safe storage of these resources including stationary, uniforms, reading schemes and IT equipment to aid teaching in the classroom and communication with the UK.

Thanks to all of you who through your donations of funds and resources enable us to continue to fulfil our mission in Sierra Leone. Please remember Extra Mile in your charitable donations at Christmas.

NOVEMBER 2020 UPDATE 1

Despite the restrictions of Covid-19, our trustees continue to find ways to raise funds for our school.

Chairman Mike recycling donated clothes and enhancing our green credentials!

Trustee Jan in camouflage delivering scrap metal for cash

We thank them both and all the other supporters working tirelessly to raise the funds we desperately need to fulfil our mission in Sierra leone.

The money raised is well used and provides excellent value for money.

A group of JS2 students in their new school uniforms, provided through your donations.

SS1 students using the laptop and projector to learn more about fundamental and derived quantities and units in their Physics lessons

Staff support students’ personal development through the effective use of tutor time. Jeff Momoh is seen here with SS2 students.

All of our work is only possible through the generous donations from our supporters. Could you help to support our work through a one-off or a regular donation.Please go to our Donate page on this website. Thank you. Students, staff and trustees will be extremely grateful.

OCTOBER 2020 UPDATE 4

Staff and students were keen to have their learning enhanced by the use of the projector to aid visual learners. Many thanks to the donors of the projector for enhancing the availability of teaching aids.

Students learning about parts of speech in Language Arts

Work on completing the science lab goes on at a pace. The plumbing is currently being worked on to provide water in the lab. Many thanks to St James’ Place for helping to fund this element of the work.

Through our trustee, Anne King, Extra Mile is a member of the Small International Development Charities Network. This network has started a campaign to pressure the government into using part of the 0.7% of GDP used for international aid through small charities like Extra Mile, actually working on the ground in these countries. The campaigns’ web site is smallbutmighty.org.uk. Please look at the website and support the campaign for the effective use of this budget.

BIG NEWS - THE LAB HAS ITS WATER SUPPLY

OCTOBER 2020 UPDATE 3

A very busy and eventful second week of term. Staff and students already benefitting from the new science equipment.

Staff demonstrating the new microscopes

October 11th has been designated by the United Nations as the International Day of the Girl Child to recognise girls’ rights and the unique challenges face around the world. This year under the theme “ My Voice, Our Equal Future” Extra Mile staff and students arranged a conference to discuss the changes girls want, the solutions big and small that should be introduced.

One of the aims of the trustees this year is to make more effective use of technology to enrich the learning experience of students and to use it to accelerate their progress. To this end staff and students are looking forward to using the projector provided by trustees in a variety of innovative ways,

Staff unwrapping the projector from the last batch of barrels sent.

OCTOBER 2020 UPDATE 2

The new term of the academic year has started with lots of enthusiastic young adults determined to make the most of this opportunity.

First Assembly of the new Year

In addition to our new students we welcome a new volunteer member of staff. Memunatu Davida Kamara is the daughter of long-term member of staff, Mary Tholley. Memunatu will be mainly working as the second adult in the new science laboratory, as work experience in preparation for her college course in science. We also welcome back our returning students and members of staff.

The arrival of the latest barrels has meant lots of unpacking and loading up of the recently completed storage facilities in the classrooms. Many thanks to all involved in this work.

Extra Mile also received the shipment of science equipment and resources, made possible by the generous donations from St James’ s Place and various Rotary Clubs around Rugby. These resources have been carefully stored in the lockable cupboards in the science laboratory,. We thanks Moses Conteh, Country Director, and his team of craftsmen for their excellent efforts in getting these storage facilities ready on time.

John Lahai, Head of Science and Mathematics, carefully unpacking the equipment and resources

We thank all our supporters who have continued to give generously to make all this happen. Finances remain on a knife edge given the restrictions on many of our fund raising activities. If you wish to help us continue to fulfil our mission please go to the Donate page on the website. Your donation will be well used for the benefit of the poor and vulnerable students in Sierra Leone and help them fulfil their ambitions.

OCTOBER 2020 UPDATE 1

The new academic year started this week with a whole group of excited students, those returning to school and those starting their educational journey with Extra Mile. Please see a selection of pictures of the enormous effort that has gone into the start of term: interviews, exams, marking, staff meetings, timetables and last but not least our caretaking team of Mohamed and Issa for getting the classes ready.

Staff welcoming the new students

Staff interviewing prospective students.

Students taking their entry exams.

The new classroom - not finished but needed to cater for the new intake.

Many thanks to all our supporters who have given generously to enable us to start the new year. It costs a £1 a day to educate one student. Could you help Extra Mile continue its educational mission? Please go to our Donate page on this website. The students, staff and trustees of Extra Mile School would be extremely grateful.

SEPTEMBER 2020 UPDATE 4

CAN YOU SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN 2020-21?

Our school re-opens for the new academic year next Monday. Too many children do not attend school in Sierra Leone. Their parents can’t afford to send them to school . They break stones for construction work, or collect firewood or sell goods on the streets or in the markets.

A local girl near our school breaking stones all day every day.

It costs Extra Mile approximately £1 a day to provide free education for its students. Can you help provide this education. £5 a week is the equivalent of two cups of coffee. If you can afford to give this amount on a regular basis or as a one off please go to our Donate page on this website.. Our students and the community of Goderich will be extremely grateful.. turn the stonebreakers into ambitious students who have a thirst for knowledge and an ambition to do well.

Head down and working hard.

The proof that your donations will be used well is in the outcomes for students. The latest 2020 results for our Express class students shows all 18 entered for the national NPSE examination achieving the national pass mark of 230, with a mean for the whole group of 272. We congratulate the students and the staff for all the hard work that has gone into achieving these excellent results.

16 of the 18 Express students arriving early for their NPSE exams. The other 2 made it on time.

SEPTEMBER 2020 UPDATE 3

Our BECE students have had a week’s worth of exams last week. Their last examinations are on Monday this week. We wish them good fortune in their remaining examinations.

ALL SET TO BEGIN

Work on the science laboratory progresses well. Finishing touches being applied to the furniture. Just the electrics and plumbing to complete the job. Well done to all who have been involved in the project to ensure that it is ready for the start of the new school year.

LOOKING FABULOUS AND FIT FOR PURPOSE

Car boot sales resumed but not sure how long before restrictions are imposed. Sales of produce from the allotments remain strong as do sales on Ebay. Many thanks to trustees Jan, Mike and Roz and all the other supporters for their sterling work in keeping this invaluable income stream going.

SEPTEMBER 2020 UPDATE 2

Trustees are pleased to announce the change in status of Extra Mile from a charitable trust to a charitable incorporated organisation. Extra Mile’s new charity number is 1190876 . The main reason for the change is it increases the number of organisations that we can apply to for corporate funding. It means that our entry on the Charity Commissions’s website will change. We will now be considered a new charity and the previous history of the charity is unlikely to appear.. We thank trustee Brian Hoy for his perseverance and hard work in managing the changeover in status.

SEPTEMBER 2020 UPDATE 1

RE-USABLE SANITARY KITS FOR STUDENTS, STAFF AND THE LOCAL MATERNITY CLINIC

Extra Mile received the latest batch of re-usable sanitary kits from Bolton Scrubbers. It is not too late to get involved with our Donate £10 to send the barrels with the kits out to Sierra Leone and to begin to pump prime our project to provide additional toilets for female staff and students. We thank the ladies of Bolton for their continuing and generous support for our mission in Sierra Leone.

Trustees Mike Fielding and Janet Gee-Russell receive the kits from trustee Brian Hoy and his wife Joy.

Trustees thank Megan Priestley, class teacher, and all the school community of The Marist Primary School, West Byfleet, for their continuing generous support for Extra Mile. Megan is seen handing over Reading Scheme books to trustee, Annemarie Feast. The books will be really useful in helping targeted students to improve their reading.

A boxful of goodies.

Staff in Sierra Leone are beginning to put the finishing touches to the science laboratory. Here we can see them putting in their handmade storage cupboards for equipment and chemicals. Trustees thank all of them for their creativity and their hard work in turning the dream in to reality. Many thanks to St James Place and to various Rotary Clubs around Rugby for their superb sponsorship of the science laboratory. The students and staff are really excited to start using it for experiments.

Beginning to take shape.

All of this support is focused on removing barriers to our students doing well in their national tests. The last full week of revision for our Junior Secondary 3 students before their BECE exams next week.