These children are students at the Comforti Primary School, established in 1996, in a community on the outskirts of Freetown called Calabatown. The name Comforti was given by a priest named Father Bieton who was serving in the area under the Catholic Relief Services (C.R.C.). According to him, “CONFORTI” was one of his role models in a successful community in Italy.

The school was designed for children that became orphans, children with physical disabilities, child mothers, and homeless (street) children. All of these situations occurred as an outcome of the prolonged civil war that lasted from 1991 to 2002. The institution started with 22 children, with no uniforms or formal curriculum. At the time, the children mostly decided on what they wanted to learn on a day by day basis.

In 1997, the rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) invaded Freetown. And during the fighting, the school was destroyed like almost all schools in the community. This situation eventually led to the organization and establishment of a non-formal school for the children in the area. Since there were no available buildings, a temporary structure was built by the locals with bush poles and tarpaulin.

Father Bieton left the country in 2001 for duties elsewhere. And after his departure, the community asked the Government of Sierra Leone and some organizations for assistance in building a permanent school structure; however no replies have yet been received.