Congratulations, Miriam Mason-Sesay, winner of World of Children Award's first ever Education Award

Miriam Mason-Sesay and her co-founders first established EducAid Sierra Leone in 1995 as a scholarship program. Two years later, when she visited the country to see the students’ progress, she realized the hardships facing students extended far beyond an inability to pay school fees. As a teacher herself, Miriam saw the need for higher quality schools and better-equipped and trained teachers for the children to succeed.

In 2000, she moved to Sierra Leone to establish EducAid’s first school; the back veranda of a rented house, where she began teaching 20 children. Since then, Miriam has devoted her life to serving orphans and vulnerable children, including many former child soldiers and victims of the country’s brutal civil war. Today, EducAid has expanded to nine schools serving 3,000 students. 

During her 15 years in Sierra Leone, Miriam has faced many challenges in her work to promote and improve education in a war-ravaged country. Most recently, she faced one of the most extreme challenges to date as Ebola broke out across Sierra Leone. Despite the danger facing everyone in the country, Miriam chose to stay and continue her work, keeping her promise to students that their education would continue.

As a recognition of Miriam's heroic dedication and amazing work, and that of EducAid, World of Children Award will present her with its first ever Education Award at a ceremony next month.

“Education is a key component of elevating young people out of poverty, out of trouble, out of dependency, and on to a better life,” said Harry Leibowitz, Co-Founder of World of Children Award. “Globally, 60 million children do not receive even basic education. In view of the magnitude of the issue and the large number of education-related nominations the organization receives each year, we felt it was vital for our organization to establish an education award category. Miriam embodies our ideal for future Education Award winners.”

Child.org are exceptionally proud to work with EducAid, and all our other amazing partner organisations, to transform the lives of children. As Miriam says in her quote on the honorees website: 

“I profoundly believe in the power of education to destroy poverty, in all its forms.”

If you agree with Child.org and Miriam Mason-Sesay, see what you can do to help more of the world's children access the education they are entitled to.