2025 International Impact Award for Inspirational Memoirs

Dr. Christopher Gardner’s journey to Sierra Leone, his passion for developing a hybrid leaning school system in the northern part of the country, and the friendships that were created along the way, make this compelling story a once in a lifetime experience. At the center of the story were the relationships formed by the author, their shared passions for the anticipated GenHybrid Systems project, and the courage of the Salonian people to embrace their freedom and to live life to the fullest. A long Way Back: Education in Sierra Leone, written as a memoir that meant to articulate the author’s expedition into the unknown, and the far greater than anybody could have hoped for rewards that were reaped as the plot unfolded, make this a worthwhile read.