Our Story
Sierra Leone Rising is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization formerly known as the Kposowa Foundation.
This non-profit was formed in 2006 to support education, and the rebuilding of Bumpe High School after the 11 year Blood Diamond war. Now the organization has expanded its mission to include female empowerment and public health in the Bumpe Chiefdom of 44,000 people with the goal to expand the work throughout the country. At Bumpe High School since 2006 they have restored the library, school classrooms, dining hall, and home economics building; provided payment for teachers; and supported students with scholarships to attend school. More recently they worked with the Bumpe community to implemented a bicycle program, a solar lamp program (to provide light for night time studying), and launched a computer lab where students in Sierra Leone are using Skype to connect with classrooms globally. This allows Bumpe students to take online computer coding classes with teachers and students in the United States. In the area of public health they have partnered with Rotary International to dig wells that are serving about 12,000 people, and were proactive in educating and providing supplies to the public during the devastating Ebola virus epidemic in 2014-2015.
Sarah Culberson & Hindogbae Kposowa
Co-founders of Sierra Leone Rising
Princess Sarah Culberson
Co-founder
Sarah Culberson’s life journey is one of discovery, resilience, and connection. Adopted as a toddler by a loving white couple in West Virginia, she was raised in the United States with little knowledge of her heritage. Despite growing up in a caring family, Sarah felt a deep desire to uncover her roots and find her birth parents. In 2004, she traveled to Sierra Leone and made an extraordinary discovery: she is a direct descendent of African royalty, belonging to a prominent Mende Tribe family. As the child of a Paramount Chief, she was recognized as a mahaloi—a princess with a deep cultural connection to her ancestral land.
Moved by her experience and the impact of an eleven year civil war on the community, Sarah co-founded Sierra Leone Rising to support and uplift the region. She later shared her journey in her co-authored book, A Princess Found, which has garnered international attention and been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, BBC Radio, the LA Times, Singapore News, and more.
As President and Co-Founder, Sarah leads the U.S. efforts of Sierra Leone Rising, working closely with her brother Hindo, one of her closest allies, who heads operations on the ground in Sierra Leone. Together, they are committed to creating lasting change and strengthening their ancestral community.
Hindo Kposowa Esq.
Co-founder
Hindogbae (Hindo) Joseph Hindogbae Kposowa is a passionate leader in educational program development and project management. As Co-Founder of Sierra Leone Rising and Director of The Kposowa Foundation’s Sierra Leone operations, Hindo has led various programs benefiting the education, health and social-economic opportunities of communities in Sierra Leone. These include management in all foundation activities with international business, non-profit, academic and governmental organizations.
Looking beyond prevailing negative narratives, Hindo has been instrumental in creating programs that support collaborative global learning, women’s empowerment, and public safety. In 2014 Hindo led a team of 40 volunteers to raise awareness with health literacy programs that helped protect 43,000 people in 236 villages in the midst of the Ebola virus epidemic whose death toll exceeded 4,000 lives in Sierra Leone alone. Additionally Hindo has been tapped to participate in and/or lead education development programs in the United States, England, Colombia, Canada, Kenya, Senegal and Nigeria.
Currently, Hindo is an Associate Partner at the law firm of Brewah & Co Solicitors in Freetown. He focuses his law practice on Mergers and Acquisition, Estate Management, Contracts, Litigation, Corporate/Business and Nonprofit Management. He is also an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society.
Sarah in Sierra Leone
