Business Support Gift (Digital download)

How your gift has helped Laughter Africa children in the past year:

In September 2024, Adama received her new business start-up kit after recently graduating from vocational school in tailoring.

Adama turned to the streets after the death of her mother, and suffering maltreatment from her Aunty. She lived on the streets of Freetown for three years and faced many challenges, all whilst raising a child, Abubakarr. Aubakarr is now 6 years old!

She reflected, "Ever since I met Laughter Africa, my life turned around for the best. They paid vocational school for me and that has changed my life in so many ways. I want to express my deepest gratitude to Laughter Africa. You guys have no clue what you’ve done for me. How you have changed my life and the life of my son. For the first time in his life, he is really proud of his mummy and that is what I am most happy about. Abubakarr has not had an easy life so far but from now on I am determined to give him the world. Thank you for making this possible!"

In November 2024, Rugiatu and Isatu, both received a sewing machine and materials to kick-start their tailoring businesses. They graduated from vocational school on 30th November 2024.

17 year old Rugiatu lived on the streets for one year.  After the death of her father, Rugiatu lived with her aunt. However, her aunt’s husband tried to sleep with her. When Rugiatu told her aunt, her aunt didn’t believe her and threw Rugiatu out of the house.

Rugiatu experienced a lot of trauma while living on the streets, “I found my friend Isata lying on the streets dead. She went out for the night. The next time I saw her- she was dead. No one knows what happened to her. I think she was stabbed.”  After being assaulted, Rugiatu ended up pregnant. She gave birth on the streets but tragically her baby died one month later after falling ill. She said, “I had no choice but to give birth on the streets as if you don’t have money- the nurses won’t treat you. She was a baby girl called Hawanatu. I think of her often.”

21 year old Isatu lived on the streets for three years. She said, “After the death of my mother, my dad remarried another woman. She was horrible to me. She wouldn’t give me food. She forced me into child labour. She would beat me. She didn’t pay school for me. She made my life a living hell. She made me feel like I didn’t belong.”

Isatu went through a lot while living on the streets. “While I was on the streets, I gave birth to my son called Moses. He’s 4 years old now. I raised him all by myself without any help from anyone. I had to do things you couldn’t even imagine just so I could provide for him. Moses is so proud me. He was at the graduation cheering for his mummy.” Life on the streets got even worse for Isatu when she saw her friend Isata die after being hit by a motorbike.  

However, Isatu is a fighter and didn’t give up. Her life turned around for the better when she met Laughter during our mobile project in Grafton. She said, “For the first time in a long time, Laughter made me feel like I belonged- that I had someone in my corner who cared.”  Isatu is now optimistic about the future and we know that no matter what she puts her mind too she will succeed. She said, “I can’t believe it. Two years ago I was on the streets- now I have my own business. My dream is to have my own tailoring shop and I know that one day I will make it happen.”

Isatu had a special message for Laughter supporters, “Tenki Tenki. You have provided for me. You took me off the streets. You paid for me to learn work and now you have paid for me to have a business. This is not just a sewing machine for me. It’s a way to provide for me and my child for life.  I am so happy that I can look after myself and my child and never worry about money again. I am proud of you and appreciate you!”  

In December 2023, we gave business support for Albert and Isha who live in Bo. Albert was the very first child that Laughter Africa ever worked with. In fact he was our first ever profile picture all those years ago. Last year he graduated from vocational school in electrical engineering. We gave Albert the tools he needs to set up his own business. Albert, now 23, was only 14 when we met him in 2015. He had lived on the streets for one year during the Ebola crisis.

Albert says, "My dad died when I was 9 so I lived with my granny. I went on the streets because my granny couldn't pay school for me. I really want to thank Five 0 for his timely intervention in my life because life on the streets was very difficult. I encountered so many difficulties that I thought I was going to die on the streets. The day uncle Amaa (a social worker who worked at Laughter) found me- I was so sick and had no medication. I was about to give up because the sickness was very severe. But God got me as Laughter came to my rescue. Ever since that moment my life began to change gradually. Laughter reunified me with my aunty and I have been home ever since. Laughter enrolled me into secondary school until I sat my WASCE. Then they enrolled me into vocational school. Today I can proudly boast of my life - the skills I have acquired have made me a better man. I am so lucky that Laughter came into my life."

Meanwhile Isha, 22, who also graduated from vocational school, received a sewing machine and lots of different tailoring equipment and materials. Isha went on the streets after the death of her parents. She lived on the streets for about three years until Laughter met her at our mobile project in Waterloo. We took her home to her uncle nearly four years ago- just in time for Christmas. She said, "I am so grateful for the business support - my life has turned around all thanks to Laughter. I am independent at last and I can make money for myself."

Probably the best example of how life-changing the gift of business support can be is the story of Sylvester. Sylvester was one of the first children that we ever worked with in June 2015 when we first opened our doors.

After we reunified him with his family, we helped him get an apprenticeship as a mechanic, we gave him tools, got him driving lessons and paid for his driving license.

Since then, he’s had a job as a driver with a local NGO called 50/50, and was recruited by a Turkish company. They paid for him to relocate to Turkey in January 2024, which also reunited him with his sister who also lives there!

He came to say goodbye before he left and said “I had given up. I didn't have anyone to encourage me. You gave me hope. You gave me courage. And you made me become a person again. To help me become the person I am today.”

And this is the reason why I am here. This is the reason why I stay. Despite all the challenges. Despite all the drama. Despite the fact that I am completely exhausted. It’s moments like this that makes everything worthwhile.

Sylvester- we are so proud of you and everything you have achieved! Fly high and shine!