18 Feb 2025
A Dream Takes Flight: Abdulai’s Story
He Lost What He Loved but Pushed Forward
The salty breeze carried memories of better days as ten-year-old Abdulai walked the bustling streets of Freetown with his grandfather. Their footsteps were slow and measured, the older man’s hand resting gently on the boy’s shoulder, not for guidance but because he could no longer see the way himself.
Every morning, they would make their way through Calaba town, where the scent of grilled fish from the market reminded Abdulai of happier times. He could still picture those early dawn hours when he, his father, and grandfather would push their wooden boat into the waves. The sea had been their provider then, offering up its silver bounty day after day.
But fate had taken his father when Abdulai was just five, leaving only memories. His grandfather had stepped in, bringing them both to Freetown for a better life. Yet the city’s promises turned bitter when his grandfather’s sight began to fade.
Now, instead of casting nets, their only sustenance came from the streets, asking for kindness from strangers. Yet even in these hardest moments, Abdulai’s grandfather would whisper stories of his father’s courage, keeping their spirits alive with tales of the sea.
It seemed life had given Abdulai his lot, until one day, two women in red coats approached. They called themselves Mercy Without Limits and within weeks, Abdulai found himself sitting in a real classroom for the first time.
Children receiving aid
Now, at age ten, Abdulai’s days are filled with new kinds of adventures. During the week, he learns all he needs to know about the world. On weekends, his voice joins others in melodic Quranic recitation, finding peace in the ancient verses.
In the orphan center, he learned many skills. Each new skill brings him closer to his dream of becoming a doctor, inspired by his grandfather’s blindness. Where once he felt powerless to help his grandfather, he now studies with hope and determination, dreaming of the day he can help others see again.
As the sun sets over Freetown, Abdulai still walks home with his grandfather, but now he carries books instead of worry. He describes the things he learned that day, painting pictures with words for the man who can no longer see them. And in these moments, both grandfather and grandson know that while the sea may have taken much from them, the tide of kindness has finally turned in their favor.
For in the end, Abdulai’s story isn’t just about loss, it’s about how hope can bloom even in the harshest soil, nurtured by the kindness of strangers and the unwavering love of family. His journey from the fishing boats to the classroom is just beginning, but already it carries the promise of brighter tomorrows, not just for him, but for all those he dreams of healing one day.
