The Story of Kadiatu Sillay: A Journey of Spiritual Transformation

Published Thu, Jan 23, 2025
Written by Dana Kaltenberger

My name is Kadiatu Sillay, and I am an 18-year-old student at EduNations Hope Academy Senior Secondary School in Rokassa. Currently, I’m in Grade 12, nearing the end of my high school journey, and my story is one of transformation, both spiritually and emotionally.

I was born and raised in the Fintonia community, in a Muslim family. My father is Guinean, and my mother is from Sierra Leone. I grew up with four siblings, and our lives changed drastically when my father left us. He divorced my mother and returned to Guinea, where he remarried and built a new family. My mother was left to raise us on her own, and she worked tirelessly as a local farmer and petty trader to provide for our needs.

Seeing my mother struggle to put food on the table and keep the household running was incredibly difficult for me. It gave me a deep resentment toward my father and a negative view of men in general. I struggled with forgiving him for abandoning us and for the pain he caused my mother. On top of that, I faced financial challenges of my own, often worrying about how I would get money for personal needs.

However, my life began to change when I joined EduNations. Through their discipleship program, I learned about forgiveness, something I once thought impossible. I was taught to let go of the hurt my father caused and to trust in God's greater plan for my life. I began to understand that despite everything, God loves me deeply and has a purpose for me.

Through the spiritual guidance I received at EduNations, I developed a daily walk with Jesus Christ. My faith grew stronger, and I found peace and healing in my relationship with God. Today, I am grateful to be the first girl from Fintonia to attend EduNations from primary school through junior secondary and now high school. I have faced many challenges, but the greatest victory is that I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

As I prepare to graduate in 2025, I am filled with hope and gratitude. I dream of studying political science at the University of Sierra Leone and continuing my journey to make a positive impact on my community.

Thank you, donors and supporters of EduNations, for showing me God’s love and for igniting hope in my life. You have encouraged me to see the bigger picture and to appreciate every beautiful blessing, no matter how small. Here's to more years of transforming lives through education and faith.

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