Sam-Kam Foundation

Sam-Kam Foundation, Inc. is a Cool and Calm Contributor towards Educational Services, Agricultural Development and Computer Information Systems in Sierra Leone that was founded in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area since 1997.

A very calm and compassionate contributor aligned with socioeconomic development, modernization and rehabilitation of war-torn Sierra Leone, the Sam-Kam Foundation, Inc. (SKFI) has been successfully engaged in various community development programs since 1997 although its services have never received the publicity it deserves.

SKFI has been working on educationally supporting the initiatives of community development at grass root level. However, all efforts of SKFI would have not been simply possible had it not been for the marvelous support of the Global Fund for Children coupled with support from certain ministries of the Sierra Leone Government. Since the inception of this Foundation in 1997 on to the present moment, SKFI has no established means of endowment and has no stakeholder/s or corporate sponsors. Thus, the SKFI membership is very appreciative of and thankful to the Global Fund for Children that has been and continues to be very helpful to the Sam-Kam Foundation in its efforts toward the development of the CHILD. The Global Fund for Children has been rendering financial support to the Foundationâ€™s mission. SKFI is very thankful to various ministries of the government of Sierra Leone including the ministry of Education for paying monthly wages to SKFI Instructors. Also, the Foundation appreciates the efforts of the ministry of Agriculture for the technical support and related contributions that it is offering to the SKFI institute of technology.

Meanwhile, the bulk of SKFI funding is derived from membership contributions and grants, and 100 percent of such income goes directly to facilitate project operations in Freetown.

Most important of all, SKFIâ€™s Institute of Technology is seeking monetary donations as well as related machinery or paraphernalia for use in small scale farming to enhance agricultural productivity, carpentry or upholstery, masonry, sewing or tailoring, computer information technologies and educational services offered in Freetown.

Interestingly, the SKFI is a program founded and partially managed by one of Sierra Leoneâ€™s communities in the Diaspora in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area of North America. Itâ€™s worth noting that this is the first time that the SKFI administrationÂ Â is facilitating unreserved local, national and international support through media outlets with the intent to boost up its multipurpose developmental expansion through publicity.

To be more precise, it was at the height of the rebelsâ€™ incursion that incited civil war in Sierra Leone when some luminous and assiduous Sierra Leoneans in the United States formed a nonprofit community development project hereafter named â€œthe Sam-Kam Foundation (SKI), Inc.â€. Among other programs, SKFI facilitates income generating privileges that provides opportunities associated with small scale farming, machinery technology, upholstery or carpentry, masonry, welding and computer information technology to youths, widowed families, women and orphans. Among other aspirations, SKFI is aimed at offering assistance to the disadvantaged population with the view to recuperating war traumatized families. SKFI believes that one of the only ways to rebuild a nation devastated by barbaric war is to establish and or re-establish development programs that possibly will influence active participation of the intended beneficiaries in all sorts of developmental programs regardless of whether or not they are victims or offenders.

In the meantime, adolescents are the targeted population because they were mostly impacted by the war, which resulted in the collapse of their family links. As the result of political instability that fueled the senseless war in Sierra Leone as well as various lapses in the International Community and Sierra Leone Governmentâ€™s failed attemptsÂ to negotiate peace with fighting factions, the Sam-Kam FoundationÂ was initially launched in Conakry, the capital city of the Republic of Guinea in1997. Regardless of numerous hurdles perpetrated by bandits against foreign missions in Conakry, the Sam-Kam Foundation opened its doors to Sierra Leonean and Liberian RefugeesÂ Â in Conakry, Republic of Guinea. Regardless of all constraints encountered by SKFI in its cocoon stage in a foreign land, nevertheless, it successfully provided Sierra Leonean and Liberian refugees in Guinea the opportunities of trainings in basic employment skills, Life Skills Management and Computer Information Networking. In May 2002 after Sierra Leone concluded its general elections that gave President Tejan Kabbah of the SLPP a Second Term in office, the Sam-Kam Foundation, Inc. finally reached its homeland as the targeted destination by establishing its Institute of Technology at 11 Godrich Street in Freetown. As SKFI expanded gradually, it relocated its office from Godrich Street to #: 9 Syke Street, Off the National Stadium, Brookfields in Freetown Since then, experts from the ministries of Agriculture, the Rural Development, Education and the Social Services have been offering technical support to the SKFI, while evaluating its performances. SKFIâ€™s Institute of Technology offers training programs in Computer Information Technology, Carpentry, Sewing, Welding and Auto-mechanics. In addition, it teaches basic skills in practical English and math. SKFIâ€™s educational programs emphasize on character education and interpersonal skills in an effort to cultivate compassion in leadership roles. SKFI maintains that individual responsibility and commitment to demonstrating respect for others are key elements that promote the values of human rights, which are vital in nurturing shared interdependent community relations.

The Sam-Kam Foundation, Inc. targets young people, regardless of their ethnicity or educational background. Thus, students are drawn from various tribes and religions, war victims and ex- combatants, young men and women, boys and girls regardless of their educational background and or skills. SKFI welcomes all types of students whether or not they have learning disabilities, disruptive behavior or psychosomatic disorders.

The Sam-Kam Foundation offers hope and educational alternatives to violence, poverty and frustration through counseling services.

The mission of SKFI as an Institute of Technology is to provide students with the academic, technological and interpersonal skills needed to achieve excellence in their chosen careers, which should serve as a stepping stone and foundation towards continuing education. It is SKFIâ€™s expectation that each enrolled student will develop positive attitudes, while practicing constructive behaviors. In addition, students will receive training in feasible trades of their choice. Also, students would be motivated through psychological counseling to attain educational competence in reading, writing and mathematics given that they are the necessary elements that can pilot a student to succeed in any chosen trade. With firm background in reading, writing and math, a student can continue with his/her education at anytime and will be in a better position to learn independent living and life skills management, which will enable him or her to be always contributing meaningful to society.

The SKFI Philosophy resembles a confluence of socialization through active participation in community development programs that will foster adequate food security, education, housing and employment opportunities. It is understandable that in order to sustain development in any community, its citizenry ought to have unrestricted access to basic food, housing, education and adequate health care delivery system in order to be capable of making informed choices. Education, Effective/productive agriculture, skills training and health care are the cornerstones of economic, democratic and social reform.

One of SKFIâ€™s goals is to assist the underprivileged population through literacy classes and related basic education that would eventually earn them adequate means of sustainable food security. Such practice will also create employment and income-generating opportunities for women and the adolescence, which may perhaps stabilize such communities to be developmental, orientated and at the same time be annulled of hostilities of any nature. The Sam-Kam Foundation, Inc. is a leading vocational Institute of technology that accommodates the learning processes of disadvantaged young men and women, between the ages eight and 21. SKFI students are exposed to day courses related to computer information technology, carpentry, auto-mechanics, sewing and welding and auto body work Mondays through Fridays. Nonetheless, academic and Life Skills Management classes are held five nights a week. Besides, the program offers sports and entertainment activities on weekends.

Sam-Kamâ€™s President/CEO is a Computer Specialist employed by the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington DC.

Contact Information:

President & CEO, Peter Samura, MS