Actor Isaiah Washington’s (“Grey’s Anatomy”) Gondobay Manga Foundation, is pleased...
Today (Thursday, August 21) on ‘Stevie Wonder’s Morning Thunder Thousand Dollar Thursday’...
Actor Isaiah Washington Auctions Off Personal Collection...
The war has caused huge damage to the education infrastructure; 70 percent of the country’s schools...
With my desire to connect myself more intimately with Africa, I decided to embark upon a journey of my roots. Through DNA testing, I discovered I have a genetic link to the Mendé people of Sierra Leone. After my initial visit to Sierra Leone, where I saw first hand the extreme poverty and the needs of the people of Sierra Leone, I pledged my commitment to the country. This is why I founded The Gondobay Manga Foundation, a non-profit organization designed to address the needs of the people of Sierra Leone. In November 2008, I will obtain dual citizenship from the Sierra Leonean Government. This is a historical moment in time for me , the people of Sierra Leone and Africa.
After learning my ancestral link to the Mendé people of Sierra Leone in February 2006, then visiting the country that following May, it was decided The Gondobay Manga Foundation's initial project would be to build a school. By May 2007, in the span of one short year, words became action and the Chief Foday Golia Memorial School was no longer a dream, but a reality. Currently, there are 300 students, out of a total population of 2,150 from six villages, in the Chiefdom attending class everyday.
The Gondobay Manga Foundation's vision for the people of Sierra Leone is to reach sustainability ~ one village, one region, and one country. To make that vision a reality, its mission is to improve the lives of the people of Sierra Leone through education, healthcare, and economic development, one village at a time. The initial target area is the Bagbwe Chiefdom situated in the Bo Region . I am reaching out to you for support.
Will you join me and support the people of Sierra Leone?
Isaiah Washington
Founder of The Gondobay Manga Foundation
The Gondobay Manga Foundation has a goal to Reach One Million children in Sierra Leone over the next year.
Here’s how you can help us...
$5 |
Help feed a child In Sierra Leone for a week |
$10 |
Keep children safe from malaria with chemically-treated bed nets |
$50 |
Provide an education for a child for a year |
$100 |
Assist with erecting a water well in a child’s village |
$1,000 |
Aid in building a new school for children |
$10,000 |
Erect a water well for a local village |
Thanks to the charitable support of donors like you, The Gondobay Manga Foundation is able to build schools, erect water wells, provide medical care, and supply chemically treated bed nets that prevent malaria for thousands of people in Sierra Leone.
American actor Isaiah Washington discovers his roots in Sierra Leone and finds a deep connection to its people.
The Story
American actor Isaiah Washington discovered he had roots in Sierra Leone and took dual citizenship. CNN explores one man’s journey of discovery and his impact on a country with a troubled recent history.
A great way to let your friends and family know about the Reach One Million Campaign is to drop them a postcard in the mail.
We’ve already designed the postcard for you. Just click on the postcard that you want and download the Microsoft Word template.
Sierra Leone is on the Atlantic coast of West Africa, with coastal swamps rising to interior plateaus and mountains. Named "lion mountain" by a 15th-century Portuguese explorer, Sierra Leone was a British colony from the early 19th century until 1961. In the 1990s democratically elected leaders were overthrown but subsequently regained power, and major hostilities have demoralized the population and destabilized the economy. In 2002 Sierra Leone emerged from a decade of civil war, with the help of some 17,000 UN peacekeepers.
Capital City: Freetown
Population: 6,017,643 (July 2005 est.)
Total Area: 71,740 sq. km.
Population density (people/sq. km): 83.88
Climate: Tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season; winter dry season
Ethnicity:
90% native African tribes (over 20 in total)
10% Creole and refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians
Languages:
English (mostly for official purposes)
Mende (mostly in the south)
Temne (mostly in the north)
Krio
Religion:
60% Muslim
30% Indigenous beliefs
10% Christian
Government: Constitutional Democracy
Currency:
Leone (SLL)
Life Expectancy: 39.87 years (37.74 male; 42.06 female)
Literacy: Total population: 29.6% (male: 39.8%; female: 20.5%)
GDP Per Capita: $800
Population Below Poverty Line: 70%
Economy: Industry: mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles); petroleum refining. Agriculture: rice, coffee, cacao, palm kernels; poultry; fish.
Exports: Diamonds, utile, cacao, coffee.
