Fifty-Five Years of Hope and Education
The Charity
How it All Began
The Waterloo Schools Charity - The Origins
Over fifty-five years ago, Dr Laurie Read, worked as a teacher in Sierra Leone before returning to the UK to pursue a career in medicine. His love for this small West African nation and its people never left him. At that time, Sierra Leone – newly independent – was full of hope and promise.
After decades marked by dictatorship and a devastating civil war, Laurie and his wife, Sue, returned in 2005. Laurie hoped to offer his medical skills, but he also longed to revisit the Peninsula Secondary School, where he had once been principal. What he found was heartbreaking – classrooms destroyed, resources gone, and a community struggling to rebuild.
From that visit, The Waterloo Schools Charity was born, with one simple aim: to work hand in hand with the people of Waterloo to restore and develop nursery, primary, and secondary education.
“Laurie was dedicated to rebuilding education in Sierra Leone, believing that giving children the chance to learn could transform their futures.”
Continuing the Legacy
Charity Visionaries
After Laurie passing in 2014, his wife Sue Read and a committed team of trustees in the UK and Sierra Leone continued his work, ensuring the charity’s vision of education, opportunity, and hope for children in Waterloo lives on.
Founder of Project 3580
In 2008, Neil Morland visited Waterloo and the Kissitown with Laurie. Moved by the loss of 3,580 children, he founded Project 3580 to improve education, healthcare, and life chances for children across the region.
The Next Generation
Harry Read, Laurie’s grandson, travelled to Sierra Leone with Neil in 2025 to see the charity’s work first hand. Appointed as a trustee, he joins Sue and Neil guiding the ongoing growth and impact of the charity.
Reflections From the Field
Redburn Atlantic Review
Harry Read, grandson of founder Laurie Read, has chronicled the history and ongoing work of the charity in two articles for the Redburn Atlantic Review.
His reports provide insight into the challenges faced by the people of Waterloo and Kissitown, the legacy of conflict, and the tangible impact of education and aid initiatives on the ground.
Ever Ready – In the Footsteps of Civil War (2024)
Harry recounts Laurie’s early work in Waterloo, the founding of the charity, and the devastation of the civil war that inspired his mission.
Footsteps in Sierra Leone – Project 3580: The Waterloo Schools Charity (2025)
Harry shares first-hand experience visiting schools and communities with Project 3580, highlighting the challenges and progress achieved.
Building Hope Through Action
Since its founding, the charity has transformed education and opportunity across Waterloo and Kissitown. From rebuilding schools destroyed by war to constructing new classrooms and refurbishing community clinics, every project has strengthened the foundations of learning and wellbeing. Thousands of children now have access to quality education, clean water, and vital healthcare thanks to the ongoing dedication of our teams in Sierra Leone and the UK.
Each initiative reflects the spirit of collaboration and resilience that began with Laurie Read and continues today – empowering communities to create a brighter, more sustainable future.