Regions: Africa   Asia   Latin America


Name of Organization: Community Action for Rural Development

Country: Sierra Leone

Project Title: "Education and Vocational Skills Training for Marginalized Children"

Project Timeframe: 11 months

Location of Project: Bo

Budget Amount: $45,000

NGO contact and website:
85 Main Sewa Road Shelmingo,
P.O. Box 24, Bo, Sierra Leone
Phone: 076-642-583
E-mail: cardsalone@yahoo.com

Project's Primary Objective: Strengthen formal and transitional education systems that encourage working children and those at risk of working to attend school.

Description of Organization: Community Action for Rural Development – Sierra Leone (CARD – SL) is a national NGO that started operations as a community-based organization in June 1987. It is registered with the Ministry of Development and Economic Planning (MODEP) and a member of the Sierra Leone Association of Non Governmental Organizations (SLANGO). CARD has a national co-ordination office in Bo (Southern region) and a Field office in Koidu (Kono District –eastern region).

Over the last five years CARD conducted skills training for 300 youths 12 –18 years including ex-child combatants, girl mothers, and others, in four locations (Gandorhun, Manowa, Gbalahun and Kombayendeh). Skill areas included tailoring, carpentry, masonry, weaving, gara tye dye and soap making. The projects were funded by the German Technical Corporation (GTZ).

Since 2002 CARD has constructed of 30 lined wells with hand pumps, rehabilitated 35 wells, and constructed 673 two-seater household latrines with funding from UNICEF in Kono District. The project accomplished hygiene promotion through project-trained animators and community resource persons. During 2003 CARD SL implemented an integrated project with agriculture (provision of planting materials, seeds, tools, farmers training and livestock restocking), support to community micro credit groups with revolving loan schemes and infrastructure development (schools, stores and community latrines), and skills training. In 2003 CARD established a youth recreational centre in Segbwema, geared towards providing much needed recreation facilities and trauma counseling activities to the youths of the town. In 2005, CARD is implementing several other exciting projects.

Description of Project funded by CIRCLE: Sierra Leone's ten-year civil conflict caused untold suffering on the people, including women and children. The war exacerbated human poverty, food insecurity and worsened economic and social growth. It destabilized political structures and destroyed lives and properties. The educational system in the country was gradually destructed. This situation led to a seriously decreased school enrolment of children. Even those who attended had little or no support from their parents, as a result of general poverty. Quite a number of the children eventually dropped out of schools and many more were conscripted into the ranks of the fighting forces. They became gun carriers and actively participated in the war. Many of the young girls were forced into sexual life and today live as single parents. Because of the heat of the war, there was mass movement of the populace into safe havens -–mainly big towns and camps. Jobs and other opportunities in these camps were limited. Current statistics revealed that the population of Sierra Leone is youthful, with 44.7% in the age range of 0 – 14 years. Literacy is low (31.4%), and unemployment is high, especially in rural communities. Child labor is widespread, particularly in agriculture.

Under this CIRCLE project, CARD will provide basic education and vocational skills training for 36 at-risk children (girl mothers, school dropouts and other marginalized community children) aged 12-17 years, in rural communities of Segbwema in the Kailahun District. The project will provide vocational skills training in tailoring, weaving, gara tye dye and soap making. Other support courses including literacy and numeracy, psychosocial counseling, peace and civic education and agriculture will be provided. The staff will receive pedagogical training and follow-up coaching sessions to improve their capacity. A beneficiary profile will be developed to serve as benchmark for evaluative purposes. Other strategies for the project implementation at the community level will focus on: (1) Trainee general orientation to assist them to make choices among the trade areas; (2) Introduction to common core and specialized training sessions; (3) Child care, to enhance participation of girl mothers and children from far away; (4) Reactivation /training of child welfare committees, to facilitate up-keep of child rights in the community; (5) Provision of start-up kit after training; (6) Commemoration of special events (two among the following) –tree planting, human rights day, World AIDS day- to raise awareness among children and community; (7) Apprenticeship scheme for those requiring further skills, and enrollment into normal school systems; and (8) Organization and support of technical groups to enhance social cohesion and promote entrepreneur development at the community level.

For the sustainability of the project, other donor partners with similar interest will be contacted to ensure subsequent phases for the benefit of other children. Similarly, individual and or group enterprise development will be encouraged. These too will facilitate the training of community youths and children in the various vocations.

Project Targets (Common Indicators):
Enrollment: 36
Persistence: 94%
Transition: No transition to non-CIRCLE funded programs
Conclusion: 94%