He has moved a step closer to achieving that dream with the donation of shelving, selected books and furniture from Bathurst Library to Mr Kallon’s charity, the Madiba Project.

As the library closes for a refurbishment, plans are being put in place to have the donated items removed from the Keppel Street building so they can begin a 55 to 60 day journey to Sierra Leone by sea.

Damian Moore, the managing director of education furniture company Abax Kingfisher, which supplied the shelving for Bathurst Library, met with Mr Kallon at the library recently.

Mr Moore said he was introduced to the Madiba Project when a client told him that her sister had been working in Sierra Leone after the mudslides in the country’s capital Freetown in August.

”After a few emails and going backwards and forwards, we [Mr Moore and Mr Kallon] met and I found that we could help [the Madiba Project],” he said.

Mr Moore said Abax has a policy of repurposing or recycling its materials.

”To repurpose is very difficult, so it's a blessing that I got to meet Mikhail,” he said.

Mr Kallon said Australians would be shocked by the condition of schools in Sierra Leone. As an example, he said he had seen students snap a pencil in half because they couldn’t afford one each.

He said the items from Bathurst will be donated to the Sierra Leone Library Board and will be used to support universities and schools.