We wish you a Merry Christmas! Our long-time employee Bala from Sierra Leone tells us about his journey in this year’s Christmas greeting. Just like us, he has the motivation to make a difference!
Dear supporters,
these are difficult times. Wars, crises, suffering and disasters. How do you stay confident? The people we meet in our projects give us hope. One of them is our employee Bala Kamara from Sierra Leone. He has firmly established himself in our team as a carpenter and has already worked on several construction projects. His life has been anything but easy. Read for yourself:
My life as a traveling carpenter – and as a green helmet
A few years ago, I went to the village of Berife. My sister has lived there since her wedding, and I wanted to build her a bed because she didn’t have one. When my uncle saw the finished bed, he was thrilled and said: “Come to our village and build us one too.” I was a traveling carpenter!
So one day, while I was working on the bed in Maramaia, a car drove along the road. It stopped, a man got out and asked: “Hello, can you help me? Where can I find the village chief?” I replied: “I’ll be happy to help you”.
This man was Simon from the Green Helmets. I took him to the traditional chief and translated for him. To be honest, I was a bit scared at first (laughs). I had never spoken to a white person before. But in the evening I was very happy.
My name is Bala Bokarie Kuloko Kamara, I am 26 years old and a carpenter. My wife Mera and I have three children: a son called Francis and two daughters, Manti and Kuloko. I am happy to tell you a bit about my life.
Carpenter Bala at work.
I grew up in a small village in the north-east of Sierra Leone. When I was almost 12 years old, I lost my mother. She was ill for three years and eventually died of cholera, as far as I know.
After her death, my father left our village to work in a gold mine. I stayed behind with my grandmother and missed him very much. Sometimes I was able to visit him, but I always returned to our village to go to school.
My father worked for a company from China at the time. One day he complained of a severe headache and was admitted to hospital. Shortly afterwards, he called me and said: Bala, I won’t make it, please forgive me. A few hours later, at 4.30 pm, he died.
My brothers, my sister and I stayed with our grandmother. Our uncle supported us, but my older brother had to leave school early to earn money. I sometimes went to school, sometimes not, because only in some years school was fee free. When I was 16 years old, I moved to the town of Kabala to learn the trade of a carpenter.
I wanted to become a carpenter because I had already built small chairs and benches out of sticks as a child. I found a workshop in Kabala where the boss showed me how to make furniture. I love this job! I also do carpentry in my free time – or I play soccer.
When the Green Helmets started building the elementary school in Maramaia in 2021, I was part of the team right from the start. After that, I also worked on the other schools and health stations. You could say that I’m still a traveling carpenter, just with the Green Helmets. But that’s not all: I’ve been able to expand my skills, for example I’ve learned how to lay bricks, pour concrete and use different machines.
I like working for the Green Helmets. In my other jobs before, the bosses often said: “I’m the boss, I sit here in the chair, and you do the work.” But with the Green Helmets, everyone is physically involved. They give me inspiration – and a secure job.
What do I want for my future? I want to be the best carpenter I can be – and work for Sierra Leone, for my children and for my family!
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Bala Kamara believes in the power of change. And that is exactly what is so important for our work: people who, just like us, have the motivation to make a difference. Through their own actions.
Many thanks to you, dear donors, for making this change possible.
Merry Christmas!
Simon Bethlehem (Chairman) and Max Werlein (Deputy Chairman)
Going home
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“Anything can be taken from you, but not your education”
We are celebrating a key handover in Sierra Leone: we are delighted to report on the opening of the new junior secondary school in Tambia Balia.
My life as a traveling carpenter – and as a green helmet
We wish you a Merry Christmas! Our long-time employee Bala from Sierra Leone tells us about his journey in this year's Christmas greeting. Just like us, he has the motivation to make a difference!