A Journey of Healing and reconciliation, the story of a teenager in Sierra Leone

BBarri is a chiefdom in the Pujehun district of Sierra Leone's southern region. Its main town is called Potoru. The chiefdom is home to the US-sponsored Area Programme of World Vision International Sierra Leone, which began in January 2025.

At the heart of this chiefdom, a quiet transformation has unfolded that speaks to the power of community and compassion, and to the impact of child protection work.

Nasu Judith Gbenga, a child protection officer working in the Barri operational area, travelled across the chiefdom to talk to parents and children about their rights and responsibilities. 

During one of these sessions in Old Town, something unexpected happened.

Among the participants were a teenage boy and his mother. As the discussion reached the topic of parent–child relationships, emotions stirred. The scenario presented about parents neglecting their responsibilities and children disobeying their parents hit close to home for some participants.

The boy stood up and bravely admitted that he had a problem with his mother. When asked who she was, she came forward. Together, they shared their story with the group.

His name is Alpha Bibor, 18 years old. He had been living in town but staying away from home. His mother had once advised him to stop taking drugs, saying, “Any child who takes drugs is not my child.” Struggling with addiction at the time, Alpha felt rejected and distanced himself. Their relationship deteriorated to the point where even a simple greeting went unanswered.

But change was on the horizon.

One day, World Vision visited Alpha's school, the Barri Islamic Senior Secondary School. During a town hall session, students learnt about their rights, the importance of respecting their parents and how their parents should care for them. Something shifted in Alpha.

He stood up and confessed that he had wronged his mother. He asked everyone present to help him apologise. The community rallied around him and, after some heartfelt conversations, his mother agreed to take him back. Alpha returned home.

“I’m very happy my son has returned,” his mother said. 'It’s my duty to raise him well. He used to ignore my advice, but now he listens. I thank God for this change.”

Alpha echoed her joy. “I feel good. I’ve stopped doing all the bad things. My mother provides for me, and even when she can’t afford something, she explains why and asks me to be patient. That makes me happy.”

He now encourages his peers to be patient with their parents, no matter the circumstances. “Your future depends on it,” he says.

For Nasu Judith Gbaenga and the World Vision team, this moment was a breakthrough. 'We were able to understand what was affecting the children in this community. With our support, the community achieved something they couldn’t have done alone. This is a testament to the power of World Vision’s child protection model.”