Our work in Sierra Leone

We first began working in Sierra Leone, with our local partner HANCi-SL, in 1996, at the height of the civil war. Our programme provided shelter and care for children who had been orphaned by the conflict or whose relatives could not be found. Since then we have expanded our work, and our programme now focuses on three main areas:

Integrated child and family support

Our project targets the most vulnerable children and their families within individual communities, strengthening those at risk of breakdown due to extreme poverty, illness or the death of a parent.

We work in collaboration with local community leaders to identify those families in greatest need. Each family receives individually tailored support, ensuring that we are able to address their specific needs across areas such as healthcare, education, small business support and housing. Our ultimate aim is to help these families to become self-reliant and face their futures with confidence.

Children living alone

Our project focuses on children who are living alone on the streets of Freetown, often in extremely vulnerable situations. We work to reunite them with their families, or extended families, or place them within a caring family environment in the wider community.

Reintegration into family or community life can be difficult and often cannot be done immediately. Therefore, when a child joins our programme they have access to healthcare, counselling, education or vocational training, and are provided with essentials such as food and clothing. Meanwhile, we work with their family and community to mediate their safe return home. Once a child is back with their family we continue to monitor their progress, and provide ongoing support and guidance.

Young Mother Support Programme

During the conflict girls and young women were trafficked into sex slavery, often becoming pregnant. Continuing poverty and exploitation following the war has contributed to a further increase in teenage pregnancy. Many young mothers in this situation find themselves estranged from their families because of the stigma of having an illegitimate child, and are extremely vulnerable.

Our programme aims to reunify these girls with their families, or to empower them to be independent members of their communities. Whilst their babies are cared for in day nurseries, we provide education or vocational training and life-skills classes, giving the mothers a firm foundation for their future. They and their children also have access to primary healthcare, health education and counselling where necessary.

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