Planting Promise runs businesses in Sierra Leone to support education projects. We believe successful business is the route to sustained and sustainable development, delivering efficiency, wealth and prosperity. We run a free primary school in central Freetown with 298 students and an adult education project which teaches adults literacy, numeracy and vocational skills. We think of ourselves as a business, rather than a charity. Our businesses are intended to be socially beneficial in themselves, and provide employment as well as income both for Planting Promise and the individuals we support. a. We farm 180 acres of land in Makeni, Bo and Moyamba Junction and Mile 91 of rice and cassava. b. Processing: with our machine we process cassava into gari, starch, eba, foofoo and flour. c. We run an internet café in central Freetown d. Our staff provide affordable courses in ICT e. Soap- and textile-making – this is an example of how our social and profitable intentions interact f. Run as a vocational training scheme, our soap ‘Grace’ is sold to generate profit for the school as well as providing skills for the adults This is a new and exciting project which challenges the status quo perceptions of international development, founded and run by Cambridge students.
