Junior’s Place of Hope: An Incredible Place for Autistic children to feel safe
Post written by our founder, Georgiana Koyama.
Last month, I had the incredible honour of delivering a speech at the grand opening of Junior’s Place of Hope, a Special Needs school in Sierra Leone. I provide free staff training at the school for the last few years.
I'd love to share a snippet from my speech:
We are here today because of Mr Edrissa Bassey and Mrs Henrietta Sowo Bassey’s three core beliefs:
1. Everyone belongs.
2. We all have something within us that the world needs.
3. Everyone has a chance to make a difference.
Sadly, these beliefs are not universally acknowledged when it comes to Autistic children and adults, those with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Learning Disabilities, and other special needs.
In Sierra Leone, there exists a pervasive stigma and false belief system surrounding children with special needs:
💔Many people believe that children with special needs do not belong in our society.
💔Many people believe that children who learn differently have nothing to offer to the world.
💔Many people believe that our children should not have the opportunity to make a difference.
Thankfully, Aunty Sowo and Uncle Edrissa are not many people, they have challenged these misconceptions, by ensuring that Junior not only belongs but thrives in our society, that his presence in the world has been the gift they have offered to so many over the years and that his existence has made a positive impact in the world.
They've gone above and beyond to extend the same opportunities that Junior has had to other children who require love, support and a safe space to learn and grow.
The Bassey's have ensured that children in their corner of the world are respected, and valued as human beings, they are safe, protected and embraced by their local community.
I'm proud to be part of the Junior's Place of Hope community.
💕Junior’s Place of Hope is a school where our children know that they belong.
💕Juniors Place of Hope is a school where our children are safe to share the something in them that the world needs
💕 Junior’s Place of Hope is a school where our children are taught and supported to make a difference
When Aunty Sowo visited Sierra Leone with Junior as a child, not only was she sad to see that Autistic children and children with other needs didn’t have access to education and therapies, it broke her heart to see that many children who looked and learned differently were not respected.
They were not valued as human beings, nor were they safe, they were not protected, they were not loved and they were not embraced in their society.
The easy thing for Aunty Sowo to have done was return Junior to the USA and never return to Salone … but those of us who know her, know that Aunty Sowo does not do easy!
Aunty Sowo thrives in hardships and challenges.
Give her a challenge, and the outcome will surpass all expectations.
Aunty Sowo’s hope, brought by the birth and unconditional love for her son Junior, is that differently abled children in Sierra Leone should not only have the fundamental human right to exist in safety and with love but should also have access to education, therapy and a safe space.
5 years ago, this vision materialised and the school Junior’s Place of Hope was founded.
I am incredibly proud to be one of the volunteers.
Aunty Sowo - I am so thankful to you for creating a space where I belong, where I can share the “something” within me, where I have the chance to make a difference!! 💫
For anyone reading this post, please share this post if you believe:
🌎 Children with Autism and other special needs belong in our society.
🌎 Children with Autism and other special needs all have something in them to offer to the world.
🌎 Everyone should accept children with Autism and other special needs for who they are, love them for who they are and create safe spaces to give them the chance to make a difference in the world.
Thank you for taking the time to read, and please give support to this incredible place, Junior’s Place of Hope.
Visit the website here: https://juniorsplaceofhope.com/
Important message: I received the very sad news that Mr Edrissa Bassey passed away two weeks ago. Sending his family and friends much love and condolences, and I hope to make them proud by continuing on his work mission and supporting this cause which affects so many people.
