Francis and Bobbie Mustapha may both be retired, but their schedules remain busy. The couple, both School of Education alumni, are continuing to work in a different way: promoting the Madina Village School in Madina, Sierra Leone, Francis’s hometown. When Francis was born in Madina, his parents had already lost seven children, including Francis’s twin brother. Francis’s father had heard of a lady who had been trained as a nurse, and took his son to her.

“The only difference between me and my seven siblings who died was this educated lady,” Francis said. “And that made the difference.”

Francis tried using money from an educator award to finally build a school in Madina. But civil war broke out in Sierra Leone, and the money earmarked for a school was instead used for food and survival. Finally in 2013, Francis was able to open Madina Village School.