Raymond's Impact Story Part I

Souce: OCC Australia-New Zealand

Raymond Addy who grew up in Liberia. He remembers many things about his early years in Liberia; a life typified by travelling from one refugee camp to another and absence from his family for decades at a time. But there’s one memory that remains as a redeeming element to the torment – the gift he received in a humble shoe box that enabled him to keep studying and be revered by his peers – a flashlight.
The flashlight led the way to a life of opportunity for Raymond who remembers having to use an oil lantern to study before going to bed at night. Raymond says the lantern was very dim at and the oil would often fall onto the books in front of him and onto his school clothes.

“We never had a continuous electricity service. It would be on for a while and then it would go out. This flashlight served a purpose. We had to study with the oil lamp, so you’d go to school the next day with oil in your books and sometimes even on your uniform.”
The flashlight also made him more popular amongst his peers, “it was customary for us to go out and play at night and after it became dark we’d go home.”
“The torch not only allowed me to study but gave me a position of leadership among my friends. Less people would fight with me because I would lead the way – more people wanted to be my friend! “