Test Your Knowledge: How much does a year of tuition cost?

1. $75,000
2. $65,000
3. $35,000
4. $275

Answer: 4—Fourah Bay College (founded in 1827 as the first Western-style university in West Africa) is the oldest university college in West Africa. It is located atop Mount Aureol in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

This is Hannah. She wrote to me asking for help to pay for

school and I am glad to say I was able to do just that.

The goal of Ruff&Cut is to connect the consumer to the culture of our global citizens in Africa. For nearly a month, I spent time in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone working to establish a business. Everyday I started my day in the business center at the hotel where I was staying. Hannah was the manager of the business center. She is quite computer literate, very helpful and extremely nice.

A letter from Hannah:

February 8, 2006

Dear Sir,

Good morning. It is a pleasure to write you, Sir. I am a university student and the purpose of my writing, Sir, is to tell you I have been driven from college for fees. Sir, the past two weeks I have been trying to make things up but to no avail because of certain circumstances.

I am the first child to my father. I lost my mother when I was 8 years old. By then I was staying with my Aunty because my father is a farmer and he has no money to help educate me with. I went to school and stopped during the 5th level. I took my exams and later I went to an institution where I got a certificate in Business Studies. In 2002, I applied for a job at the Bintumaru Hotel and I was employed, and they paid me £80.00 per month and I accepted it because there was no other job.
If I acquire a diploma in accounting and finance I can get a better job than my present one and the salary will be a bit better.

Sir, I don’t have anybody to assist me except almighty God and you, as my salary scale is very low. Sir, this is my final year in college. Please Sir, help me, give me whatever little help you can, Sir.

Thank you very much for your assistance. May God almighty bless your children and your entire family.

Best Regards,

Hannah (business center)

After reading her letter, I gave Hannah the money to finish her education –$120 US dollars. Can you imagine that? Tuition at Fourah Bay University is approximately $250 per year. Sierra Leone has a medical school and tuition there is only slightly higher per year. What baffles me is that there is not an NGO focusing on raising money for qualified students in Africa.

Another letter from Hannah:

June 10, 2006

Dear Sir,

How are you and how is your family? I just wanted to know how you are doing over there. You know you were very kind to me, so it is not easy to lose communication with you, Sir. I will stop here for now. Say hello to Christina and the musician (she was referring to my son, Damon) and also to your wife.

Thank you very much for what you did for me by paying my school fees.

Best regard,

Hannah

P.S. Sir, these are my grades for the first semester:

1. English Language: B
2. Accounting: A
3. Numeracy and statistics: A
4. Economics: C
5. Business Management and Administration: B

Hannah graduated June 28, 2006 with a Bachelors degree in Accounting and Business Administration. Helping people like Hannah is what has been the fuel for the engine of Ruff&Cut. Behind every piece of jewelry purchased from Ruff&Cut, is someone getting a helping hand.