Get disabled children back to school
Leadership
Eleanor Massah Abdulai, CEO & Founder
Eleanor Massah Abdulai, CEO & Founder
Eleanor Massah Abdulai, CEO & Founder
Eleanor grew up in Eastern Sierra Leone but at the age of 10 years old, Eleanor stepped on a land mine that ripped off the lower part of her right leg below the knee and almost amputated her right arm. Now she is a grown woman with a daughter of her own, she does not want other disabled kids to go through the abandonment she experienced.
Eleanor grew up in Eastern Sierra Leone but at the age of 10 years old, Eleanor stepped on a land mine that ripped off the lower part of her right leg below the knee and almost amputated her right arm. Now she is a grown woman with a daughter of her own, she does not want other disabled kids to go through the abandonment she experienced. That’s why she started the Disability Empowerment Movement of Sierra Leone, Demsl.org.
Louise Twining-Ward, Chair of Board
Eleanor Massah Abdulai, CEO & Founder
Eleanor Massah Abdulai, CEO & Founder
Louise met Eleanor in 2018 on an evening walk along Lumley Beach. A year later Louise became a founding member of the Disability Empowerment Movement Sierra Leone. Louise currently serves as the DEMSL Board chair and raises money for DEMSL through marathon swimming.
Five years later DEMSL has helped 25 children achieve school success an
Louise met Eleanor in 2018 on an evening walk along Lumley Beach. A year later Louise became a founding member of the Disability Empowerment Movement Sierra Leone. Louise currently serves as the DEMSL Board chair and raises money for DEMSL through marathon swimming.
Five years later DEMSL has helped 25 children achieve school success and is on the way to establishing a new Care home in Freetown.
Board
Billy Davis Board Treasurer
Billy Davis Board Treasurer
Billy Davis Board Treasurer
Billy joined the board of the Foundation for Children with Disabilities, Sierra Leone Inc. in 2023 and currently serves as Treasurer. He is also involved with Prosethics in Motion and helped Eleanor get her first prosthetic.
Julie Fisher Board Secretary
Billy Davis Board Treasurer
Billy Davis Board Treasurer
Julie Fisher is Board Secretary for the Foundation for Children with Disabilities, Sierra Leone Inc. Julie is the Executive Director of NYC Autism Charter Schools, running two schools in New York for children severely affected by Autism.
Moira Cray Board Member
Billy Davis Board Treasurer
Moira Cray Board Member
Moira Cray served as Director of Transition and Community Outreach at NYC Autism Charter Schools. After retiring she joined the board of the Foundation for Children with Disabilities, Sierra Leone, Inc.
Field Staff
Rashid Sandy Field Officer
Ibrahim Conteh Finance Manager
Ibrahim Conteh Finance Manager
Rashid Sandy is DEMSL's Field Officer. He manages the day-to-day well-being of our beneficiaries in Sierra Leone. He coordinates donations, checking on the children's medical condition, accompanying them to health visits and making sure they have all they need to attend school.
Ibrahim Conteh Finance Manager
Ibrahim Conteh Finance Manager
Ibrahim Conteh Finance Manager
Ibrahim works for the Bank of Sierra Leone. He has known Eleanor since 2016 and encouraged and supported Eleanor to found DEMSL. Ibrahim is the Finance Administrator for DEMSL.
Volunteers
Cate Twining-Ward
Cate Twining-Ward
Cate Twining-Ward
Cate support DEMSL through fundraising, photography, and journalism.
Max Twining-Ward
Cate Twining-Ward
Cate Twining-Ward
Max is our volunteer pilot, IT support and website designer for DEMSL.