Ishmael's story
Born in Makeni, Ishmael lived there with his mother and father (a Sergeant Major in the army) until they separated when he
was just 8 years old. His father, a Muslim, has since taken 3 wives who currently live in different parts of the country. Ishmael
has 5 siblings and was living in Daru with his father and one of his step mothers when trouble started at home. Ishmael claims
that he was given too many chores to do by his step mother and arguments between them led to his starvation and flogging.
He would run away from home and live on the street for a few days before going back home. This situation sadly got worse
and when Ishmael’s family moved back to Makeni he started to live on the streets full time.
On 3rd Dec 2008, having lived on the street for over 2 years, Ishmael was
found by HANCI-SL. He was in a bad condition having contracted Malaria
and Scabies, so after treatment at the children’s centre clinic he was
placed into foster care for 6 weeks. Once enrolled on the Street Child
Project, Ishmael began to attend counselling sessions in order for the
HANCI-SL staff to understand his situation and begin to trace his family. In
just a few weeks Ishmael’s father had beenfound, living in thelocal Army
barracks and accepted Ishmael’s return to his home, living with his
youngest wife – a step mother who Ishmael is happy to live with.
Ishmael is now doing well at school and his step mother is being assisted by our business team to improve her petty trading stall so that it is turning over enough profit to pay the school fees of all of their children.
> Read Adama's story
