On her most recent trip to Sierra Leone this past December, Falls Church resident Sarah Armstrong walked into the small school whose students had been helped by her charitable foundation, Brighter Tomorrow for Africa. She found that they had put up signs welcoming her return.

One sign in particular left her speechless.

It read, "Aunty Sarah You Have Saved Us From Starvation."

"You do it because you want to help them, but I was overwhelmed when I saw that," she said.

Feeding hungry children in what is officially the poorest country in the world represents a mere one-fifth of the projects that Armstrong’s organization carries out in the country. Begun in 2005, Armstrong’s foundation — and it is still literally hers, as she has not hired any full-time staff — has already helped thousands of women and children in Sierra Leone. Now officially a 501(c)(3) organization, which makes it a federally recognized nonprofit exempt from federal income taxes, Armstrong said her efforts are a lifelong dream come true.

"I always had a dream of being in an African village holding the hands of African children," she said. "I've just had a vision in my head that I was supposed to do that. I started studying the continent about five or six years ago to try to figure out how I could help and landed upon Sierra Leone."



IN ADDITION to providing food, Armstrong’s foundation, working with local groups in Sierra Leone, also runs an inoculation program that covers an array of illnesses and diseases; organizes "peace clubs" for former child soldiers that fought in the country’s decade long civil war; teaches students how to avoid and speak out against corruption; and imparts literacy skills to women, 85 percent of whom cannot read.

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Last spring, Armstrong received the Humanitarian Leadership Award from the National Organization of Sierra Leoneans in North America. She has already met with Sierra Leone’s president, as well as current and past Sierra Leone ambassadors to the United States.

One might think that such a small organization — the annual operating budget is less than $3,000, all out of Armstrong’s pocket — might not be as effective as larger multinational organizations like the United Nations or the Red Cross. In fact, according to Suzi Peel, an international development consultant, it is small groups and individuals like Armstrong that are having the most direct impact on improving the lives of individuals living in poverty.

"There are amazing numbers of women [doing this work]," she said. "They’ve all been bitten by the same bug as Sarah. I can’t say [large international organizations] are more effective than one driven person. It’s just so cumbersome to work with groups like the UN …. This is way more effective, because there’s a direct link [to the people being helped]."

A single mother in her late 40s with two sons in college, Armstrong has been able to achieve her successes while still holding her day jobs as a marketing communications consultant and fitness instructor. She said she wouldn’t have it any other way.

"Even though I have a consulting practice and a fitness practice, I wanted to make room in my life for this," she said. "As the kids are getting older … it's, 'If not now, when?' You know?"



AFTER SIX VISITS and nearly $150,000 in donations, her work has begun making waves around Falls Church and McLean. Her first large-scale fund-raiser in the area was held Feb. 12 at the home of Carol Walter in McLean. Fifty-eight women attended, with more than $4,300 raised.

"I think the [biggest] thing [was] for women to be able to walk away and see what Sarah's been able to accomplish," Walter said. "So many say ‘I'd like to do this, like to do something like this, but I don't know how.’ If Sarah can do it …. I hope women can walk away with this and if not get involved in Sarah’s foundation, at least on a local basis — it doesn't have to be in Africa."

Alison Moledina of Great Falls, one of the women in attendance at the fund-raiser, echoed the sentiments of most of the other guests in expressing her admiration.

"I’m proud, as a woman, that she’s accomplished what she’s accomplished," she said. "It’s amazing, her energy, what she’s done. Where she got it, I don’t know."

The president of the McLean Rotary Club, Lois Wilson, said that her organization hopes to provide a substantial grant to Armstrong’s foundation.

"She’s fulfilling the mission of the club," she said. "She’s the embodiment of the Rotary motto, ‘Service Above Self.’"