Games and dancing, a shared meal, and some much-needed upkeep and repairs brightened New Year’s Day 2021 during a Families Without Borders service project at Ihsan Life Supporting Orphanage at Mile 91, Peace Village.

Families Without Borders Executive Director Terri Khonsari and over 70 Emerging Students and Fellows spent New Year’s Day at the orphanage, which is home to about 45 children ages 8 - 17.

While there, the group found time not only to enjoy celebrating the new year, but to perform some much-needed rehabilitation work. The FWB volunteers repaired the orphanage well, which had been abandoned for many years; installed a solar-powered light in the girls’ quarters; and painted the exterior of the building. Children from the orphanage helped with the painting, especially by adding whimsical pictures of plants and animals to the freshly painted walls.

“It was fun and helped the children feel ownership,” FWB Emerging Leader Tryphina Cocker explained. “Especially when you draw something which you will always see.” The service project was a part of FWB’s annual retreat, which was taking place at the nearby Canadian College of Modern Technology.

It was a work day, but also a day filled with laughter, a reflection of the FWB mission. “We believe in service and sharing love to make sure the world is a better place,” said Tryphina. Tryphina is a senior year student in Mass Communications at the University of Makeni and is also the Head of News and Current Affairs at Global Multimedia Online TV in Sierra Leone. Enjoy the video below that Tryphina created!