Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world. It is ranked 181st out of 189 on the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI), with poverty, disease and a lack of prospects dominating people's lives.
The plight of the population
Ravaged by the civil war between 1991 and 2002 and the Ebola epidemic in 2014/15, hopelessness prevails in many places. The consequences are still painfully noticeable today. People live below the poverty line, go hungry and cannot find work. Circumcision and early marriage are widespread. Youth unemployment is very high at 70 percent. In addition, many families have been torn apart by the Ebola epidemic. Mothers and fathers have died. Many children have been orphaned. Great misery dominates the country - both physically and mentally.
Project work
After providing emergency aid during the Ebola crisis, we have been supporting the country on a permanent basis since 2016. To this end, the local organization Village Community Development (VCD) was founded in 2015. In cooperation with ora Kinderhilfe, VCD alleviates the suffering of the people and generates income-generating measures - so far in 3 Miles in the interior of the country and in Grafton and Makaimba near the capital Freetown. What all the projects have in common is that there is an ora sponsorship program. As we have only been supporting the people in Makaimba since the beginning of 2021, there are no income-generating measures there yet.
3Miles
We run two agricultural projects in the village of 3Miles. The parents of the ora sponsored children work together on the four farms where vegetables and peanuts are grown. The harvest is divided into three parts; one part goes directly to the families as food aid, one part is sold and the proceeds are paid to the employees as wages and one part is used as new seed. The parents also learn about ecological and modern farming methods, which they can also use on their own piece of land.
In addition to the church that we built and which also serves as a meeting room, we were able to open a school, the Victory Academy, in 3Miles in 2019. 150 children can now learn to read and write there. The new school also means a lot to the parents. They want their children to do better than them one day.
Grafton
In 2017, we opened a bakery in Grafton that serves as a training facility. Young women learn the trade there and can later provide for themselves and their families. The training concludes with a certificate - which is something special by local standards.
The bakery mainly bakes banana bread and rich cake. The women sell the goods to passers-by and at small markets.
There is also a soccer team. Here, around 30 youngsters find a meaningful activity after school and learn fair play and discipline through play.
Makaimba
In the desperately poor fishing village of Makaimba, we support the 1,000 villagers with food. So far, food security and clean drinking water have been the biggest challenges for the population. We have been providing the children and adults with basic necessities since the beginning of 2021. In addition, the children are supported in their school attendance at the local village school with school materials and a daily school meal. Some mothers cook the daily meals. In this way, they automatically earn some money and can improve the living conditions for themselves and their families. The school has already been renovated. We pay the teachers' salaries locally. Since then, teaching has become more professional.
Our medium and long-term goal is to improve the village's infrastructure for all residents. In fall 2021, a boat was purchased for the villagers. This strengthens the community and the local people can now go fishing at any time without having to pay high costs for a rented boat.
Our project partner
Village Community Development is particularly committed to helping children and their families in rural, under-supported regions of Sierra Leone. In addition to educational opportunities, health is a key issue. In Makaimba, for example, two new wells have provided clean drinking water, school meals have helped to combat malnutrition and regular health check-ups and vaccinations have already improved the children's situation enormously. Educational work is also being carried out with parents on the subject of female genital mutilation (FGM).
Sponsorship program
There are currently around 180 children in our ora sponsorship program. They receive healthy food, clothing and school materials. Medical care is also provided.
In order to further expand the projects and to be able to continue helping the families as well as the children, more sponsors are needed. They ensure the expansion of the projects, such as the school, and thus provide a perspective.
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