Peter Kortma was my classmate in the mid-70s at the Roman Catholic Elementary School in Bumbuna. Peter and I were competitors in Elementary School. We both took the Selective Entrance exam for Magburaka Boys Secondary School and succeeded in entering the School.
When the School opened, I was fortunate to leave my parents and other family members and head to Magburaka Boy’s Secondary School. Unfortunately, Peter could not travel to Magburaka to start his Secondary School transition due to a lack of funding from his family. He stayed in Bumbuna and eventually left for rural areas to do farming.
The sad part of the story was that Peter and I scored the highest in the Selective Entrance Exam and were awarded scholarships upon entering MSSB. One morning, late Mr. MHS Bangura entered my classroom (101) and asked for Abu Kargbo and Peter Koroma to accompany him. To the astonishment of my classmates, Mr. Bangura politely informed me that we had been awarded scholarships to attend MSSB because we scored the highest during the Selective Entrance exams. Upon arrival at the Principal’s Office (late Mr. MM Kamara), I was asked about Peter’s whereabouts, but I informed them he could not make it because his family could not send him to MSSB due to a lack of money. I sent a letter to my Dad in Bumbuma to check on Peter and his family and to see how he could help. My Dad went to Peter’s family house and was informed Peter had traveled to their village to do farming.
I lost contact with Peter all those years. Still, his story inspired me to incorporate educational opportunities for school children and college students who are vulnerable and whose families cannot afford to send them to School or college.
Peter’s case is not isolated because there are many other people with similar circumstances and stories throughout Sierra Leone. Our goal as a foundation is to empower these folks to realize their educational dreams and opportunities.
Interestingly, Peter’s son faced similar challenges of being thrown out of School for being unable to pay his fees. Peter heard about the Pa Sorie Kargbo Foundation and came over to enquire about assistance for his son when he realized that the founder was his former classmate – Trivens Kargbo. The Pa Sorie Kargbo Foundation sponsors Peter’s son and other students in Bumbuna and at Maguraka Boys Secondary School.
