Sierra Leone

During the Ebola epidemic, anyone who came into contact with the virus had to be quarantined for 21 days and watched for symptoms, like fever. In Sierra Leone, ChildFund opened six Observation Interim Care Centers in 2014 and 2015 to care specifically for children under quarantine. Some had lost loved ones, and most were shunned by family members and neighbors who were afraid of the disease. At the centers, 343 children received care, attention and close monitoring. Twelve children came down with the virus and had to be taken to clinics, but the other 331 children were reunited with parents or other caregivers after the quarantine period. We also followed up with these children in their communities and gave them books, school uniforms and other necessities before schools reopened.

In seven schools affected by the outbreak, ChildFund supported the building of new classrooms and provided new sets of furniture so children had more space to themselves, reducing the risk of future infections. In the Kailahun District, we helped rebuild a school that had been destroyed by a wildfire; the new school has running water and clean toilets, plus six modern classrooms, an office and a store.

Unemployment and high dropout rates are major concerns for Sierra Leone’s youth. To keep young people enrolled and attending school in one rural district, ChildFund worked with the Daindemben Foundation to provide scholarships to local teachers and youth to pursue higher education. As the community gained more qualified teachers, the number of students attending and succeeding in school has steadily grown.

The Youth Employment Support Project, funded by the World Bank through Sierra Leone’s government and implemented by ChildFund, has given young people the opportunity to start their own businesses and receive training in practical, marketable skills. As a result, nearly 3,000 youth from impoverished households with low levels of education were able to train for new livelihoods and graduate from the program. Besides acquiring job skills, they made business contacts and reported feeling more included and heard in their communities. Young women, including mothers, took part in the Girls Livelihood project as part of YESP. They were trained in catering, baking, hairdressing, tailoring and auto mechanics, and many say they’re finding work.