Blog post courtesy of USACF
Our friends and partners, US-Africa Children’s Fellowship (USACF), recently formed an important partnership with Hands On Sierra Leone. The head of HOSL is Sheku Mansaray, pictured above, and below. Sheku first came to America as a teenager to receive prosthetics to replace his lower arms which were cut off during the civil war in Sierra Leone. Sheku did not go back to Sierra Leone immediately after his surgery. He began a new life in Staten Island. He became a Legal Technology Specialist and now works for Paul Weiss.
Over the last few years, Sheku has turned his attention back to Sierra Leone. He is building a home in Freetown and is working to help the people of Sierra Leone in every way he can.
The focus of HOSL has been to help children of amputees. For the last ten years, HOSL has been paying the school fees for 53 children. The children attend 15 schools around the towns of Makeni, Kono, Luing and Masiaka. But much more needs to be done. None of their schools have libraries. We are all working together and have recently filled a container with children’s books and other needed donations. This 40-foot HC container is now on its way to Sierra Leone. The container has been purchased and will be converted into a library/learning center once it is put down in the town of Makeni.
The Book Fairies in Freeport, Long Island donated 600 boxes of children’s books.
We, from Wonderland BookSavers, donated 125 boxes of books, numerous bags of clothing, and a case of French-language children’s picture books handmade by the students of the Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center in Chicago.
USACF donated 300 boxes of books, schools supplies, soccer gear and clothing for this shipment. Crutches and soccer uniforms have also been collected for a one-legged soccer league. This shipment will change thousands of lives.
There are exciting plans to convert the shipping container into both a library and a learning center. Teachers will attend workshops to learn to use the digital Bridge Pi library which will greatly enhance their student’s access to information.
Sheku’s dream of helping the people of Sierra Leone is taking shape. With your support, we will turn his dream into reality.
It has taken several months to organize this donation as Dr. Eliza had to get permission from her organization to export these critical PPE items. Khawaja then FedExed the package to 
Mark writes, “Thank you once again for every blanket, toy, piece of clothing, soccer ball, tarp, toiletry, shoe, houseware, school supply and vitamin that your students collected. It all makes a difference. Yemen is being ravaged by the virus.”
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandi.
Sebastian received at least 100 boxes of beautiful children’s books, delivered contactless, from 
Brooks was able to bring these books (contactless) to our WBS garage.
Piece of Cake came to our garage, and on a bright sunny day, with all of us moving quickly, we were able to fill their entire truck.
Partnering with our various friends, including 
We hope that access to books brings some relief from the endless boredom of sheltering, sheltering sheltering!
After a winter of book collecting, and a spring of organizing and boxing, we were ready for a summer of travel.
The drive across country is very looong. Annabel searched ridiculous places to stop along the way, and this really helped our attitude,
“6 more hours to the Jolly Green Giant!” 
and of course we all loved being welcomed to Welcome!
Camping added to our sense of adventure. 
Giant American flags are popular at the camp grounds!
Our first stop was Lame Deer Montana, location of the 445,000-acre Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. We brought children’s picture books to the Chief Wooden Leg Library, part of Chief Dull Knife College. 
These books will be shared with 8 Head Start programs located across the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. It was an honor to learn about Chief Wooden Leg who fought in both the Battle of Rosebud and the Battle of Little Big Horn, two locations we have visited several times.
We next visited Rosebud Reservation, where we met with our friend Beth,
Our next two stops were both on Pine Ridge reservation. 
First, we went to our favorite school, Red Cloud Indian School. This successful school was originally started by Red Cloud and the Jesuits. Its aim is to provide Indian children with an extensive education that equally combines a Catholic education while honoring and adhering to Native American faith practices. This school also includes a Lakota language immersion program in which children as young as 18 months can learn Lakota as their native language. 
We have often contributed both books and funds supporting the Lakota language program and we were happy to be back bringing more books.
After our stop at Red Cloud School we continued through the Pine Ridge Reservation to Red Shirt Table Elementary School. 
Here we met our many of our friends who are working with Laura to create a fun summer camp for children in the Red Shirt Table region. We brought our usual supply of picture books, along with a few toys.
No trip across America would be complete without our travel adventures. 
These included attending church at the Air Force Academy in Colorado, 
Hiking Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, 
Visiting churches and museums in Santa Fe, New Mexico, 
Spray painting cars at Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, 
Visiting Ye Grand Old Opry in Nashville, Tennessee 
And riding roller coasters in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
From Sea to Shining Sea: One American Summer.
And now, mid-winter, we are making plans to return to work at Summer Camp, and help build houses in the Children’s Village on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota. Would you like to join us?
Thank you Pawling Library! We Love you! PS Thank you for writing my name on every box, here you can see the very boxes you donated, in Uganda, with Sebastian written across the top!
Wonderland BookSavers 