Elevating each other through gratitude and ingenuity
Tenki for born
thank you for giving birth
This is said by nurses and doctors in Sierra Leone to the patient right after she gives birth. It’s an appreciation, a recognition that pregnancy is a difficult task, arguably a dangerous one here, and we recognize your struggle and your contribution to our community. Tenki for born
Tenki in 2026: Our Three Pillars of Impact
Revolutionizing grassroots nonprofit work in Sierra Leone through ingenuity, community, and sustainable funding.
1. Maternal Health Capacity Building
Sierra Leone faces a maternal mortality rate of ~1100 per 100,000 births. High-risk pregnancies in rural areas often go undetected, and peripheral health units lack the electricity, resources, and diagnostic tools to manage complications.
- OB Ultrasound Training (Ongoing at 8 Clinics): Equipping midwives and Community Health Officers (CHOs) with Butterfly ultrasound probes to identify high-risk conditions early (e.g., breech, twins, fetal growth restriction).
- Maternal & Child Health Conferences: Providing week-long, on-site training and support to 40-100 midwives per conference, teaching essential newborn care and the prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage.
- Infrastructure & Referral Support: Installing solar panels and backup generators at rural clinics, and providing dedicated transportation to get high-risk mothers to hospital appointments safely.
- Maternal Waiting Homes (MWHs): Building 5 homes near surgical hospitals to safely observe high-risk mothers starting at 36 weeks, providing nutrition and care for them and their young children.
2. Tenki Books on Wheels (TBOW)
Tackling the early literacy gap in Bo District by bringing resources to first‑generation readers. We ensure geographical isolation doesn't equal a lack of opportunity, transforming reading into a shared community experience.
- Active Program: Currently operating for the 2025-2026 school year.
- Mobile Literacy Mentorship: 5 carefully vetted and trained local mentors travel via okadas to 6 remote villages three times a week, reaching over 100 children.
- Holistic Community Support: Providing essential meals during reading sessions to nourish students, while paying stipends to local mentors to create economic relief.
- Sustained Leadership: Maintaining a strong community network through real-time WhatsApp support and awards ceremonies honoring star students.
3. Paid Creative Classes
(The Sustainable Engine)
The first collection of high-quality cultural content has already been captured in Sierra Leone, featuring:
- Local Cuisine
- West African Dance
- Storytelling
- Yoga Classes
- Empowering Local Artists: Sierra Leonean creatives are paid directly to share their expertise, creating high-quality, enriching content for a global audience.
- Global Subscriptions: Supporters worldwide will subscribe to these premium classes to connect with Sierra Leonean culture.
- Funding the Future: Subscription funding goes directly back into paying the local artists for their work, as well as funding the Maternal Health and Books on Wheels initiatives.
Today: 100% Donor Funded
Currently, all of our active efforts for Maternal Health and Books on Wheels are made entirely possible through generous public donations and grants.
Tomorrow: The Sustainable Loop
Content for the Creative Classes is currently being prepared. Once launched, this model will generate a sustainable funding stream to pay our local artists and support our community initiatives.
TENKI
Revolutionizing the way grassroot nonprofits operate, the way Sierra Leoneans view themselves, and the way those with “limited” resources are recognized by the world.
Our mission is to establish an online network of cultural exposure, ingenuity and gratitude from the gifts, talents, and energy of the Sierra Leone community to invest in the future of our mothers and children.
“If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities.”
— Maya Angelou
And the world says thank you for working with us to preserve life and beauty.
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