The Bridge of Hope is a faith-based organization that has been working on community development in Sierra Leone for the past 12 years. Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world, but The Bridge of Hope has been dedicated to changing that. Their mission is to create a better standard of living across the country and help its people gain access to the basic needs of life: to be healthy, equipped and empowered to support themselves, and able find purpose in serving others. Several volunteer teams from the organization return every year and have already built 6 churches, 2 primary schools, medical clinics, and more. Although community development is an ongoing process, each one of The Bridge of Hope’s volunteers is committed to serving both God and the people of Sierra Leone.
When people think about the basic necessities of life, they often think of food, water, and shelter. However, light can be just as important. Without light, people are left in the dark and are unable to safely cook, learn, or travel after the sun sets. LuminAID is proud to be working with The Bridge of Hope to bring light and hope to Sierra Leone, Africa.
This Little Light - The Bridge of Hope from The Bridge of Hope on Vimeo.
Many of The Bridge of Hope’s volunteers that travel to Sierra Leone have sponsored a child and were lucky enough to meet them on their trip. Just by visiting the sponsored children and their families and delivering a bag of rice with the solar light, they witnessed true happiness.
“They literally were dancing with joy when we showed them what the LuminAID solar light was and how to use it. There is no power there, so these lights make a huge impact on a family allowing them to see,” recalls Geri Jeffrey, the Executive Director of The Bridge of Hope.
LuminAID lights have had a powerful impact in the community that The Bridge of Hope volunteers visited. As it gets dark by 7pm, many more opportunities are available that were once limited due to the lack of light. Children are able to continue their education and study at night, rather than struggling to complete their homework in the dark. They can also safely fetch water even when the sun sets, a solar light in their hand to guide their way home. Everyday activities that could only be done when the sun was out can now be done at night with the solar lights.
The Bridge of Hope is a beneficiary of our Nonprofit Subsidy Program, in which we offer discounted rates on lights for humanitarian use. From disaster relief to empowering women and girls, LuminAID products have been used in over 100 countries around the world where people need them most.
As a primarily volunteer-based operation, The Bridge of Hope ensures that any donations they receive are invested right back into the people of Sierra Leone. If you would like to have a direct impact on a member of the Sierra Leone community by sponsoring a child, you can visit their website.
