They plant. We water.
We work in Sierra Leone to help create a healthy environment where children, young women, and their teachers can thrive.
Our work is in partnership with local pastors, government officials, and community leaders who are committed to the growth of students and their families.
They know what their communities need. Together, we help them get there.
Meet some of the Godwin Vocational Training Center graduates
Mariama
Mariama came to Godwin without the schooling she needed to find steady work. She graduated with a sewing machine and a microloan. Today she holds contracts to make uniforms for schools near her home, and the business has grown enough that she has hired someone to manage it.
Mariatu
Mariatu left school early and thought her chances had gone with it. She found Godwin and chose hairdressing. Since graduating, she has become a role model in her community, encouraging other young women to take up skills training instead of giving up.
Isata
Isata trained in tailoring and is also skilled in gara tie-dying, a Sierra Leonean textile art. She designs the fabric, sews the clothes, and sells them herself. Her husband is a tailor too. The profits from her business help support their three children.
Salamatu
Salamatu is raising her son on her own, and he now attends the kindergarten at the same school where she trained. She graduated in tailoring with a microloan to start her business. She sews and also buys and resells goods that move well during the festive season.
Titi
Titi and her husband were getting by on what he could earn, and there was rarely enough. She trained in tailoring and graduated with a sewing machine and a microloan. She now runs her own business and contributes to supporting their two children.
Rugiatu
Rugiatu lost her sister in August, the person who had helped her most with her children. But with the sewing machine and a loan from Godwin, she kept going. Her business is thriving now. Alongside sewing, she buys and resells slippers and second-hand clothing, remaking pieces into new styles.
Every young woman who graduates from GVTC leaves with two things that turn a certificate into a livelihood
A professional tool kit ($150) and a microloan to start her business ($350). Together, $500 is what it costs to set one woman up in a trade she owns.
The next class graduates soon. And they need our help.
Send a note
Wish a graduate well in her new career. Encourage a teacher for the work they're doing.
Your prayers and your encouragement are essential. Let them know you are celebrating their success and walking with them.
ABOUT SIGNPOST MISSIONWORKS
15 years in Sierra Leone
Signpost MissionWorks is a volunteer organization based in Ventura, California. We have been working with our partners in Sierra Leone since 2011.
We currently support two projects: the Godwin Vocational Training Center in Freetown and the Door International Academy in Lungi.
Before those, we ran teacher training and certification programs, responded in the aftermath of the Ebola crisis, and completed a building project at the Door Christian Fellowship in Wilberforce Barracks.