EducAid Sierra Leone Director – awarded by Queen Elizabeth

29 December 2012

Miriam Mason-Sesay, the Country Director of EducAid Sierra Leone and a UK national, has been awarded an MBE for her exceptional services to education and charitable work in Sierra Leone.

For over a decade, Miriam has been central to developing the provision of education in Sierra Leone after the devastation of ten years of civil war.

She has made great strides in helping to re-build the country’s education system and has given hope to hundreds of young victims of the brutal conflict.

After teaching in a number of schools in the UK, Miriam came to Sierra Leone and single handedly drove forward the project ‘EducAid’ – raising funds and providing free education and a daily meal for over 1600 pupils.

Many of the pupils were orphans or former child soldiers.

Other initiatives introduced by Miriam, included a new and innovative secondary education curriculum, which is now gaining traction with the Ministry of Education.

Miriam has also established a thriving women’s support project, a teacher training centre and an international scholarship award scheme.

She has done much to promote relationships on many levels, between the UK and Sierra Leone; most notable is her work in facilitating educational and cultural interchanges between pupils in Sierra Leone and the UK.

Her work in successfully raising awareness of corporate social responsibility of companies in the country has also been recognised.

Well known locally and respected, she has stayed the course in Sierra Leone, despite daily hardships, where many foreign citizens would have easily packed up and gone home.

Miriam has been the subject of several media articles, including one entitled ‘The Angel of Freetown’ published by the Mail on Sunday in 2008.

On learning of her award, Miriam said: “This is exciting for EducAid and an opportunity for all to see the great commitment of the EducAid team.  We passionately believe in the power of education to overcome poverty and look forward to many more years of seeing young people’s lives transformed as they learn.”

Sadly, Alhassan Lansana Sesay, Miriam’s husband, whose tireless efforts in helping Miriam accomplish her ambition in Sierra Leone, is not here today to celebrate Miriam’s achievement. He passed away on 6th August 2009, whilst on holiday in Sierra Leone.