Today, we celebrate our founder, RoseAnn Rotandaro.
We celebrate her courage, her vision, and the countless lives she touched, from her family and friends to the current board of The Village Link, and to every child and family in Ngolu, Gerehun, surrounding villages, Bo District, Southern Region, Sierra Leone.
RoseAnn believed in people. She believed in education. She believed in entrepreneurship and that real change happens when you stay committed.
Our preschool in Gerehun was started in 2015 with that belief at its core. For more than ten years, classes have been held in a shared community building. It wasn’t fancy, but it was filled with eager young learners, dedicated teachers, and hope. RoseAnn was proud of that beginning, but she always dreamed bigger.
On March 1, 2026, the anniversary of her passing, we held an official ceremony in Gerehun to honor her life and legacy. On March 3rd, construction will officially begin on a permanent home for her vision.
We are building the RoseAnn Rotandaro Memorial School, the RoseAnn Rotandaro Center
The school will sit on one acre of land purchased outright. This space will include:
* A three-classroom preschool
* A community center
* A soccer pitch
* A playground for the children
* A toilet facility
* A water well
* A garden and farm
This will be more than a school. It will be a place where children learn, families gather, food is grown, clean water is available, and the whole community can thrive.
By May 2026, our preschool students will move into this new building. What began in 2015 in a borrowed space will become a permanent foundation for generations to come.
RoseAnn’s life was defined by service. From her time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone to her work in education, law, and philanthropy, she carried a fearless spirit and a deep love for people. Founding The Village Link was her way of giving back to a country and community that had given so much to her.
Today, we thank her.
We thank her for her boldness.
We thank her for her compassion.
We thank her for the foundation she laid.
Her legacy lives on in Gerehun. It lives on in every child who will walk into those classrooms. It lives on in the board members who continue her work. And it lives on in every supporter who, as she did, believes that education changes everything.