Our Story
I'll never forget my first sighting of Mohamed. He was on the side of the road barefoot, malnourished and dressed in clothing that was tattered and torn. I learned he was left out of social groups and never given the chance to have an education due to his loss of vision in one eye and his learning disabilities.
As a cognitive and educational therapist who works with children with learning disabilities, my heart bled for this precious child. I understood that even if Mohamed's parents had the $10 a month to send him to school, there were no programs capable of handling his specific learning challenges.
I quickly realized that Mohamed needed me. I invested my time, energy, and resources to make sure that Mohamed was on a path towards success. My goals for him became a vision screening, cataract surgery, teacher training and individualized curriculum. My dream was to integrate him into the mainstream classroom and ensure that our hard work helped to set Mohamed on the path to success.
As a result of Education Cures' work, today, Mohamed is a happy, engaged student in with many friends, and the kindest heart of any child I have ever met. It's still too early to say what the future holds for Mohamed, but I have no doubt he will do something amazing- and to think, this was all as a result of the education provided through Education Cures.
On my subsequent trips back, I celebrate Mohamed's successes, but my heart continues to bleed for children like Mohamed- children that need our help the most.
Education Cures identifies schools in impoverished countries that are seeking to make a tremendous impact on their community. Through these local partnerships, Education Cures trains their teachers in the best curriculums in order to ensure that every child has the opportunity to be successful, regardless of learning disabilities or other impairments. Whether students are three years old and entering our Early Childhood Education program or twelve years old and in need of a more supportive environment, we ensure local teachers are ready for every student to begin their educational journey. At Education Cures, we believe that by empowering teachers and providing the tools, training, technology, and resources needed, we can equip them to impact hundreds of students' lives. Our goal is for all of the children like Mohamed to have a story of hope.
Education Cures founder Katie Whittelsey interviews with Star TV- a Sierra Leone TV channel.
