Esther’s Road to Education: From Long Walks to New Wheels of Hope
Published Fri, Jul 11, 2025
Written by Dana Kaltenberger
Every morning before the sun rose, 14-year-old Esther Kwendeh Koroma would begin her day in the quiet village of Moforay Kola Stick in Sierra Leone’s N’gowahun Chiefdom. The fourth child of six in a hardworking family, Esther was raised by a father who farms and a mother who trades to support their children—parents who never had the chance to attend school themselves, but who deeply believe in the power of education.
Esther shared that belief. So much so that she walked 12 miles round trip every day to attend EduNations’ Hope Academy Junior Secondary School in Mapainda. To make it on time, she’d wake at 4:00 a.m., finish her chores, and set off by 5:00 a.m., walking alone through isolated bush paths and quiet villages.
“The road is quiet, the villages are far apart, and bad things can happen to girls walking alone,” Esther shared. “Sometimes I think about the men who hurt young girls or take people for rituals. I thank God that He protects me.”
Her fear was constant. She’d seen snakes slither across her path and heard the rustle of wild animals in the bush. But what was even more exhausting than the danger was the toll on her body and mind. “Sometimes I arrive at school late. I’m already tired. It’s hard to concentrate in class. My body is in school, but my energy is left on the road.”
Still, she never gave up. Esther dreamed of becoming a policewoman—someone who would protect others—and she knew that education was the key. She also knew that EduNations had begun providing bicycles to students from far-off villages. But the need was great, and she was told to wait.
Then, a breakthrough came.
Thanks to EduNations and generous partners, Esther was recently given a bicycle—turning her exhausting daily trek into a smooth ride filled with hope. She now arrives at school on time, focused and refreshed, especially as she prepares to sit for her Basic Education Certificate Examinations, a national test that will usher her into senior secondary school in September.
Esther is riding closer to her dream, and her gratitude overflows. “I will keep striving,” she says with quiet strength. “The miles I walked will not stop me from being educated. But this bicycle… it’s riding me toward the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Her story is a powerful reminder that when a willing heart meets a helping hand, dreams begin to move faster than ever imagined.
