When Abdul* lost his father, his education – and his childhood – came to an abrupt end. Growing up in a large family in Lungi, Sierra Leone, his mother could no longer afford school fees. Like many children in his community, Abdul’s future suddenly became uncertain.
A family friend promised to help by taking him to a displacement camp in Grafton, where he would supposedly return to school. But that promise was broken. Instead, Abdul was left to fend for himself, surviving through small trading and struggling just to find enough for food each day.
It was at a local mosque that the sheik noticed his struggle and helped him to continue trading to support himself. One morning, after prayers, Abdul heard about the Divine Vocational Training Centre, where young people could learn practical skills. Eager for change, he enrolled in the tailoring programme – a small but powerful step toward rebuilding his life.
Just two weeks later, Abdul met Fatmata, a social worker from We Yone Child Foundation, who had been trained through a trauma-informed care programme developed by the Consortium for Street Children (CSC). Fatmata was visiting the area to identify and support street-connected young people who had experienced deep trauma and instability.
Her approach was different from anything Abdul had known before. Rather than focusing only on his material needs, she listened – helping him unpack the pain and fear he had carried for years. Through the project “Addressing Trauma Among War-Displaced Street-Connected Children to Improve Educational Outcomes in Grafton”, Fatmata connected Abdul with regular counselling, group sessions on trauma recovery and sexual and reproductive health, and ongoing mentorship.
The trauma-informed methods Fatmata used – understanding how early adversity affects behaviour, building trust, and creating safe spaces for healing – were all part of CSC’s global effort to strengthen frontline support for street-connected children.
Slowly, Abdul began to believe in his own potential again. With her encouragement and the continued support of We Yone Child Foundation and CoDWeLA, CSC’s partners in the ‘Addressing Trauma’ project, Abdul completed his tailoring training and proudly earned his certificate. Today, he uses his skills to support his mother and siblings in Lungi – and dreams of opening his own tailoring shop one day.
He knows that without Fatmata’s guidance – and the training that gave her the tools to understand and respond to trauma – his life might have taken a very different path.
*Name has been changed