Soldier gathers Christmas supplies for Sierra Leone orphanage
23 Dec 09
A soldier from Colchester Garrison is sending a special Christmas present to orphans in Sierra Leone in the form of hundreds of items ranging from bunk beds to a wheelchair.
Warrant Officer Class 1 Rob Seabridge with Sia at the orphanage in Sierra Leone
[Picture: via MOD]
Warrant Officer Class 1 Rob Seabridge was inspired to help the orphanage in the capital Freetown during his posting to the war-torn country from 2006 to 2008.
He has collected items ranging from bunk beds, desks and chairs, to clothes and toys, toiletries and a box of spectacles, and even a microscope and wheelchair and is now looking for donations to help cover the £2,500 cost of shipping the items Sierra Leone.
WO1 Seabridge was in Sierra Leone working as part of the International Military Advisory and Training Team when the orphanage came to his attention through a little girl hanging around their camp.
WO1 Seabridge said:
"There was a small child who used to hang around the camp. I asked who she was and was told her name was Sia and that she was the daughter of the late Lieutenant Mbowa in the Sierra Leone Army.
Warrant Officer Class 1 Rob Seabridge with some of the items donated for the orphanage in Sierra Leone
[Picture: Cpl Rupert Frere RLC, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
"She was left with some distant family who couldn't look after her. She was very poorly clothed, receiving no education and her meals were intermittent."
The orphanage is run by the international charity DOVE (Development Orphanages Vocational Education).
WO1 Seabridge was introduced to DOVE by a colleague of his who was working on a project to help build a kitchen for the orphanage, near Lokko Town, a poor village suburb on the outskirts of Freetown. He contacted DOVE and arranged for them to take Sia:
"Basically they saved Sia's life at my request, and it was then I decided I should do more. Now she's got a loving home where she is clothed, fed and schooled."
With the help of his wife, Helen, back at their home in Melksham, Wiltshire, the two have collected hundreds of items from both Wiltshire and Colchester which are now in Colchester waiting to be collected and sent off to Sierra Leone.
Warrant Officer Class 1 Rob Seabridge at the orphanage in Sierra Leone
[Picture: via MOD]
The items even include bunk-beds and mattresses that this time last year were being used by UK troops in Iraq.
WO1 Seabridge was in Iraq earlier this year helping with the draw-down of British troops from Basra and was granted permission to add the beds to his consignment for DOVE:
"There is some really nice stuff and I've been categorizing it here in Colchester so it's easier to manage at the other end. I'm very grateful to all those people who have donated items."
Donations can be made on the 'Donations for Container' page on the DOVE website. See Related Links >>>