Salieu Bendu

Country: Sierra Leone

My birthday is 2006-01-01

Status: Vulnerable Child

I want to be a teacher.

I enjoy playing soccer.

My favorite subject is religious & moral education.

Salieu was born in 2006. His mother does not know the exact date of his birth so we celebrate his birthday on January 1st. Salieu lives in the very poor fishing village of Tombo. Tombo is located on the western coastline of Sierra Leone and is a major hub for fish trade and transport. The town is known for its deeply religious Islamic faith. Because of the poor conditions and the bodies of water that surround Tombo, diseases such as Malaria, Typhoid and Cholera run rampant. Salieu lives with his mother who is a woodcutter. His dad lives in the provinces but is seriously ill and is not able to work. Salieu's mother cannot adequately provide food and other basic needs for him because woodcutting brings in so little income and she has other children as well. Realizing his struggles for food and other basic needs, Salieu engages himself in woodcutting and also searches for scrap metal to sell. Salieu was forced to stop school in Class XI due to the lack of funds to pay for school tuition, uniform, school supplies and other school fees. Salieu would love to return to school if given the opportunity.