New & Forthcoming from SIPC Books
I Too Was Here
— Mohamed Tafsir Fofanah
A Collection of Poems
Coming September 20, 2026
I Too Was Here is a literary footprint—a poet’s declaration that he lived, witnessed, loved, mourned, questioned and remembered.
Mohamed Tafsir Fofanah moves between the personal and the public, between English and Krio, carrying the reader through family, grief, Mandingo identity, African ancestry, politics, national tragedy, faith, love and the restless life of Freetown.
These poems are testaments to despair and resilience, to grit and youth, to happiness and love, to Freetown and desolation.
Tafsir writes from within the history he remembers. Ebola, Fourah Bay College, Lumley, mentors, departed friends, national crises, relationships and ordinary moments of city life all enter the collection. Yet the book is never simply a record of events. It is the record of a young poet discovering what it means to leave language behind as evidence that he was present.
Years from now, when someone asks what it meant to live, feel and observe Sierra Leone during these years, I Too Was Here will have something to tell them.
Indeed, Tafsir was here.
The Twelve Voices
— Juliet Rogers
1,000 Meditations from the Minor Prophets
Coming September 15, 2026
Twelve ancient prophetic books. One thousand meditations. A continuing invitation to listen.
In The Twelve Voices, Juliet Rogers journeys through Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, drawing out reflections on covenant, justice, mercy, repentance, leadership, worship, restoration and hope.
Written for slow and thoughtful reading, each meditation offers a doorway back into Scripture—sometimes as a personal examination, sometimes as a prayer, sometimes as a question about leadership, society or faith. Throughout the collection, the prophetic witness is read within the wider Christian story and continually turns the reader toward Jesus Christ.
The Twelve Voices is for readers who want to sit with Scripture rather than rush through it—to listen closely enough for ancient words to become living wisdom for the present.
RAMADAN: A BOY IN SEARCH OF EDUCATION
By Lamrana Alieu Jalloh
What if a single hope could change the direction of a life?
In Mayefeh, a young boy named Ramadan refuses to accept that poverty will define his future. While many around him struggle with limited opportunities, Ramadan discovers something powerful: education might be the key to unlocking a different life. Driven by the courage to believe in something more, Ramadan begins a journey that will challenge your understanding of the world and your place within it. Follow Ramadan, as he learns that education is more than lessons in a classroom; it is a path to finding one’s voice, shaping one’s destiny, and daring to imagine a future beyond circumstance.
WHERE THE LILIES BLEED
By Melvin Sharty
Where the Lilies Bleed
— Melvin Sharty
A Novel
Coming November 1, 2026
Set between Philadelphia and the fictional Sierra Leonean community of Mambo, Where the Lilies Bleed is a story of siblings, migration, memory, ritual, belonging and the complicated relationship between tradition and change. the novel asks what happens when inherited practices carry beauty, knowledge, authority—and pain.
The TALKING KAPOK TREE
By Melvin Sharty & Juliet Rogers
"The Talking Kapok Tree & Other Short Stories," a short story collection by Melvin Sharty and Juliet Rogers, set in Sierra Leone and focused on environmentalism and family life.
TELLING OUR OWN STORIES
SIPCBOOKS
Publishing research works, story collections, and educational resources that amplify voices, spread knowledge, and inspire a culture of conscious action across generations.
OUR AUTHORS
Mohamed Tafsir Fofanah
Mohamed Tafsir Fofanah
Mohamed Tafsir Fofanah
Mohamed Tafsir Fofanah comes to SIPC Books through poetry.
Tafsir is the Founder of the African Poetry Society, Co-founder of Young African Writers, and President of the University of Sierra Leone Creative and Theatre Group. He previously served as Secretary General of the Linguistics Students’ Association at Fourah Bay College.
He holds a
Mohamed Tafsir Fofanah comes to SIPC Books through poetry.
Tafsir is the Founder of the African Poetry Society, Co-founder of Young African Writers, and President of the University of Sierra Leone Creative and Theatre Group. He previously served as Secretary General of the Linguistics Students’ Association at Fourah Bay College.
He holds a B.A. in Linguistics (Hons.) from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, as well as two Diplomas with distinction in Cultural Studies and Legal Studies from the same university. He is currently pursuing his MSc. in Diplomacy and International Relations at the School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Sierra Leone.
His poems have appeared in newspapers, journals and anthologies, including Let Her Be. He has served as a Poetry Ambassador for the Sierra Leone National Commission for UNESCO and has participated in the commemoration of World Poetry Day events for poets in Sierra Leone.
Beyond poetry, Tafsir has directed and performed in stage productions, judged national literary and talent competitions, and coordinated cultural festivals. His contributions to literature, advocacy and youth development have earned him several recognitions, including a Certificate of Recognition in Leadership, Politics and Good Governance as a Peace Ambassador in 2022 and a Certificate of Leadership from the Youth Discovery Summit in 2019.
But perhaps the easiest way to introduce Tafsir as a writer is through the title of his book:
I Too Was Here.
Lamrana Alieu Jalloh
Mohamed Tafsir Fofanah
Mohamed Tafsir Fofanah
Lamrana Alieu Jalloh is a Sierra Leonean researcher, policy analyst and development practitioner whose work focuses on governance, international development and sustainable livelihoods.
He holds a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from the University of Notre Dame, where his studies focused on global policy, environmental sustainability an
Lamrana Alieu Jalloh is a Sierra Leonean researcher, policy analyst and development practitioner whose work focuses on governance, international development and sustainable livelihoods.
He holds a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from the University of Notre Dame, where his studies focused on global policy, environmental sustainability and the political economy of development. He also holds a Master’s degree in Chinese from Beijing Language and Culture University, a B.A. (Honours) in Linguistics from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, and an Honours Law degree from the University of London.
Professionally, Lamrana has worked across West Africa and Southeast Asia on issues including food security, agricultural value chains, humanitarian assistance and community resilience. His work draws on political-economy and public-policy analysis to understand how institutions, livelihoods and development systems affect ordinary people.
He is the author of Ramadan: A Boy in Search of Education, an autofiction published by SIPC Books. The book follows a young boy’s pursuit of education and the personal, family and social realities that shape that journey.
Juliet Rogers
Mohamed Tafsir Fofanah
Juliet Rogers
Juliet Rogers
Juliet Rogers is a Sierra Leonean storyteller, researcher and social-impact practitioner. She is the founder and Managing Director of Stories That Inspire Planetary Consciousness (SIPC), where her work brings together storytelling, research, environmental and social responsibility, youth engagement, digital stewardship and sy
Juliet Rogers
Juliet Rogers is a Sierra Leonean storyteller, researcher and social-impact practitioner. She is the founder and Managing Director of Stories That Inspire Planetary Consciousness (SIPC), where her work brings together storytelling, research, environmental and social responsibility, youth engagement, digital stewardship and systems thinking in service of human and planetary flourishing.
Her academic journey has included training in public health and clinical management, alongside continued study in business intelligence and information systems. Across her professional and creative work, Juliet has remained deeply interested in the relationship between knowledge, character, public responsibility and the stories through which people understand the world.
Her Christian writing grows from a conviction that Scripture should not merely be read and put away. It should form the conscience, govern daily life, deepen worship, refine leadership and continually turn the heart toward Jesus Christ.
That conviction is at the centre of The Twelve Voices.
Melvin Sharty
Melvin Sharty is a Sierra Leonean writer, peacebuilding practitioner and social-impact professional based in New York City. His work sits at the intersection of storytelling, community safety, peacebuilding, migration and the lived experiences of people navigating change across cultures and borders.
He holds a Master of Global Affairs in I
Melvin Sharty is a Sierra Leonean writer, peacebuilding practitioner and social-impact professional based in New York City. His work sits at the intersection of storytelling, community safety, peacebuilding, migration and the lived experiences of people navigating change across cultures and borders.
He holds a Master of Global Affairs in International Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame and a B.A. in History and Sociology from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. His professional experience has included work in nonviolence, community-based civilian protection, violence prevention, youth engagement, interfaith civic leadership and international peacebuilding.
As a writer, Melvin is interested in place, memory, family, migration and the difficult questions people carry between home and diaspora. His fiction often draws from Sierra Leonean cultural memory while exploring what happens when inherited traditions, personal experience and changing ideas of belonging meet.
He is the author of A Gift for Failure and co-author of The Talking Kapok Tree and Other Short Stories. His forthcoming novel, Where the Lilies Bleed, is set between Sierra Leone and the United States and explores family, migration, tradition, women’s authority, memory and the possibility of change within community.
The Science of Our Storytelling
We do not tell stories randomly. We employ specific cognitive frameworks to ensure maximum impact.
The Architecture of Influence: We structure our advocacy using Christopher Booker’s seven recognized story archetypes to resonate with the human psyche. Whether framing a climate crisis as "Overcoming the Monster" or a social victory as "Rebirth," we use these patterns to inform and educate.
Defining the Conflict: Great stories require conflict. We explore the internal and external territories of the human experience. We address tensions such as Humanity versus Nature, Humanity versus Technology, and Humanity versus Society to find sustainable resolutions.
