50% Scholarship won through Talking Drum Studio's sponsored Debates 2022
Two St Joseph’s Makeni girls to earn 50% university scholarship because of their performance in the 2022 debate
Story by Christiana I Koroma Senior pupil St. Joseph’s Makeni
“Through Talking Drum Studio’s debates, my friend Mariama and I are guaranteed 50% university scholarships. We are in school because of the free education program but our parents could not afford our fees. Today someone does for us, we hope to give similar favors to another in future”. Christian Isatu Koroma’ crave to pursue higher learning started early and that is why she would take every single opportunity presented to her in line with her academic pursuit. She is a very close friend with Mariama Bangura, a pupil in the same school St. Joseph’s Makeni.
“Mariama and I are very close; her life in terms of family background and social activities is a reflection of mine. We live like sisters; so telling this story is telling her story as well. I am not surprised why the anonymous help came up for both of us.” Their families could only afford to send them to government supported school; being that tuition and school materials are free.
Christiana and Mariama met a U-turn when (TDS-SL) shortlisted their schools for the inter-districts debates in the Town Hall Meetings project. “I knew an opportunity my time to showcase my talent has come when Mr. Moses Saffa: our English Language teacher called Mariama and me out to be part of the team in the Talking Drum Studio debates.” She was confident that since it is Talking Drum sponsoring the debates, there will be fairness, unlike other organizations that have organized similar event. “I knew Talking Drum is an organization with high reputation and their activities have always convened well-meaning district stakeholders. As a team we prepared well, taking notes of all significant points during the trainings and coaching from university debates clubs provided by TDS-SL.”
Christiana captained her school team and they stayed focused throughout the debate competitions in both year and year two. In May 2022 at Sierra Leone Teachers Union Hall in Makeni, after the regional debate, a member of the audience who preferred to be anonymous walked up to the teacher/coach of St. Joseph’s secondary schools and pledged 50% university fees for two pupils: Christiana and Mariama Bangura. “I was not only surprised, but felt proud of Talking Drum” Christiana explained “for an unknown person to cover USD 2,400 for my university fees is unusual. I only pray we have this support from another person to complete the 100% college fees”. Whiles the help is coming from an audience in the debate, Christiana believes that if TDS-SL hadn’t organized the debate, the opportunity would have landed somewhere else. “I thank TDS for selecting our school for the debate and my teachers for trusting me to captain the debate team through to the final”.