Active NGOs in Sierra Leone

World Vision in Sierra Leone
In 1996 after the civil war in Sierra Leone, the World Vision-Sierra Leone was launched. The organization’s vision was to support the 15000 farm families’ recover in agriculture in the eastern and southern regions and offer nutritional support to the more than 140,000 internally displaced persons in Bo town. They NGO also played a vital role in aiding the IDPs resettlement soon as the agriculture in the southern and eastern region had begun to flourish (World Vision, 2015). After achieving these milestones by February in 2003, the organization expanded their vision by transitioning to community-oriented area development programs (ADPs). The programs had long-term goals to effect change in the communities. More than 25 ADPs were effective by 2016 with the organization serving more than 58,000 children nationwide.
World Vision’s Mission
The organization is founded on international relations of Christian believers who follow the Christian teachings in helping the less fortunate, lobby for justice, and testify the goodness of God’s Kingdom. The organization’s implementation of their mission is perused through the following holistic approaches: community-based transformation development which is sustainable and tailored for children’s needs. Providing of relief for people who are adversely affected in disaster and conflict (World Vision, 2015). Seeking justice by effecting policy and review of systems that are unjust to the poor in the communities where the organization is operating. Partnering with local churches for spiritual nourishment of the communities and steer social change. Execution of educational program to create public awareness, engagement, philanthropy, and understanding. Finally, testifying Jesus Christ through their deeds, way of life, speech and as symbols that draw people Christian teachings.
World Vision purposes to establish programs that have long-term welfare to the communities in need. The programs are in health care, HIV/AIDS management, peacebuilding, skills development and agriculture. The organization’s mission stems from the biblical scripture John 10:10. World Vision Sierra Leone carries along the values of World Vision International.
Target Population
The NGO targets victims of disaster, the marginalized, the vulnerable, and communities that are less endowed in resources. World vision-Sierra Leone collaborates with partners in education, nutrition and health, livelihood and resilience, protection of children and inculcating life skills. Currently, the organization has registered more 58,000 children within their ADPS whom are closely mentored and monitored (Awoko Newspaper, 2015). The organizations are also committed to partner with local churches along with the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) to deliver services to the deprived communities in the Sierra Leone.
Projects under Implementation
The leading project underway is Women Empowerment for Leadership and Development (WELD). The essence of the program is assist the woman in Sierra Leone and eventually Africa at large overcome the suppressive patriarchal system. For ages, women in Africa could not assume influential positions in social-economic development and government (Awoko Newspaper, 2015). Traditions and cultural customs have held back the women in Sierra Leone and Africa from participating in the policy formulation in political, social and economic national issues. With the realization of these fact, World View Sierra Leone created a consortium with other concerned stakeholders to instigate change of the tradition. The collaborators in the WELD project include Action Aid, Advocacy Movement Network the Network Movement for Justice and Development. (NMDJ) and the U.S. government which participated through USAID.
WELD was initiated in 2015 with proposed lifespan of 3 years. The project was sponsored by the US government with USD 3.9 million at the initiation of the project through USAID. The project was purposed to be implemented in seven national districts; Port Loko, Bombali, Koinadugu, east of Kenema Kono, Kailahn and the four on northern Tonkolili (Awoko Newspaper, 2015). The objective of the project is to advance the political social and economic civil rights entitled to women in the stated regions. The project will be implemented in three phases as follows: First, creating an auspicious environment for women to participate in social and political environments. Second will be devising structural frameworks within sub-national and local council governance. And third, strengthening of the responsibilities of civil societies in the country.
Locally, WELD is collaborating with the social welfare, children affairs, and gender ministry to affect the inclusion and participation of women in all the facets of the 8 pillars of the governmental prosperity agenda. In an effort to steer economic liberty for the women, the organization has affected a subsidiary function of the project, Savings Group, which aids women elevate their economic welfare (Ngaujah, 2017). The WELD project purpose is to advance the political, economic and social rights of women in Sierra Leone women. Through economic empowerment of careers and parents, WELD has improved the standards of living and general welfare of an aggregate of 40, 431 children.
Milestones
Ebola response: World Vision successfully helped contain the spread of Ebola in the 2014 break. A quick and strategic response helped curb the outbreak to only few fatalities. The process was facilitated by the meticulous planning of the response plan. The entities engaged included trustworthy Christian and Muslim leaders, local hospitals and clinic were mobilized to create awareness, lifesaving practice lessons and ways of preventing contamination within the local communities. Medical supplies were also provided through the identified bodies to the local communities.
In collaboration with other concerned NGOs, the Word Vision Sierra Leone foresaw the burial of 25,000 people in a dignified and a safe manner across ten districts. The management situation has also made it possible to discontinuity the transmission of Ebola within the ten communities through the proactive engagement of the communities through local entities. The response to the Ebola crisis by the NGO received recognition by international bodies leading to external funding of the organization’s efforts to manage the catastrophe by Austria Aid, Global Fund for Malaria, Aktion Deutschland Hilft, European Union, DFID, UNICEF USAID, and Irish Aid. The NGO has also successfully prevented the 58,000 under it mentorship from contracting the disease. Ebola Vaccine Deployment, Acceptance and Compliance project (EBODAC) in collaboration with World Vision Ireland received USD20.86 million grant from Innovative Medicines Initiative (World Vision, 2015). The funds were to be focused on the immunization, creating awareness to dismiss misapprehensions about vaccination, and building trust within the communities on the medical approaches employed by the organizations to contain the spread of Ebola. Some of the pharmaceutical partners in the project included N.V German Foundation, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Janssen Pharmaceutica who contributed in the provision of the immunization kits and medicine.
Child Protection: Sierra Leone has experienced the exploitation of children in child labor, abuse, exploitation, and violence. 18% of the Girls have been vulnerable to early marriages at the age of 15years and 44% at the age of 18 years. 65% of the native population are pro-female genital mutilation (FGM) which results to 13% of the total population of girls undergoing through FGM. Despite the enactment of the Child rights bill in 2007 and sexual offenses act in 2012, the enforcement and the implantation is yet to be executed. The employees are committed to the development of organizational services and communal commitment to the service.
The organization educates children on their civil rights and the manner in which they may protect and engrave them amongst themselves. The NGO uses councils and local leaders to lobby for issues that concern the children within their communities of operation. World Vision Sierra Leone purposes to strengthen children decision making and structures that are meant to protect the children in the community (World Vision, 2015). As an effort to increase awareness in the society, the NGO promoted the participation of children in clubs and parliaments. Additionally, the organization has established community learning where mothers are educated on ways which can help protect the vulnerable children. Of key concern are orphans as a result of the Ebola catastrophe.
Education: Today, only 73% of the school-aged pupils are enrolled to the schools, of whom only 76% completes their basic school education. World Vision’s objective is ensuring all the school-aged children enroll to schools and complete their education. The goal is to ensure by the age of 11 all the children are functionally educated (World Vision, 2015). To achieve these goals the organization has dedicated their resources in educating teachers as an effort to boost the quality of education. The organization is also facilitating development of necessary infrastructure such as classrooms, water resources and sanitation facilities. These has been possible with the collaboration with the Science, Education, and Technology and Health ministries.


Personal reaction to Word View Sierra Leone
The NGO is a family-based organization founded in Christianity. The efforts as discussed are to uplift and transform humanity in Sierra Leone and globally. I hold the organization in high regard with respect to their humanitarian work. Indeed, I would volunteer for a position in World Vision Sierra Leone. The organization’s mission is centrally noble aiming to eliminate the cycle of poverty and uplift people’s quality of life. Volunteering in Sierra Leone would be challenging with the diverse society, the experience would be enriching.













References
Awoko Newspaper, (2015). Sierra Leone News: World Vision Launches WELD Project in Makeni. Retrieved from https://awoko.org/2015/06/17/sierra-leone-news-world-vision-launches-weld-project-in-makeni/ on 6 February 2018
Ngaujah, S. (2017). Women Empowered for Leadership and Development (WELD Project): children impacted through economic empowerment. World Vision, Sierra Leone. Retrieved from https://www.wvi.org/sierra-leone/article/women-empowered-leadership-and-development-weld-project-children-impacted on 6 February 2018
UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AFRICA BUREAU (USAID), (2003). World Vision Sierra Leone youth reintegration training and education for peace. World Vision Sierra Leone. Retrieved from http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pdabx974.pdf on 6 February 2018
World Vision International, (2017). Our Mission Statement. Retrieved from https://www.wvi.org/our-mission-statement on 6 February 2018
World Vision, (2015). World Vision Sierra Leone.