Sierra Leone became a well-known news item in the 1990's when it was plagued by civil war. After a decade of suffering, peace was declared in 2002. Sierra Leone has been on the mend ever since. Today, children are filling schools and the economy is slowly but surely attempting to get into shape. With stunning parks and friendly people, Sierra Leone is a rewarding place to visit.
Programs available in Sierra Leone
View current volunteer and internship opportunities in Sierra Leone... |
How You Can Help
In Sierra Leone, you will be volunteering in Freetown, a city of one million people. Freetown is set beautifully on the West African coastline. It is a vibrant city with plentiful markets and a diverse population. However there is also widespread poverty, and you will witness varying levels depending on which neighbourhoods you visit. In Freetown, you can complete a human services & childcare, education, or community development placement.
The Need
While Sierra Leone has successfully transitioned from civil war into a peaceful existence, it did not do so unscathed. The United Nations Human Development Index, an indicator of wellbeing in countries around the world, ranked Sierra Leone as one of the least developed countries in the world, third only to Afghanistan and Niger. This is an indication of widespread poverty. Over 60% of adults can not read, and nearly half of Sierra Leoneans do not have access to clean water.
With The Humanity Exchange you can directly affect development in Sierra Leone. As a result of the civil war, there exists a huge amount of people that did not have a chance to go to school. This is exemplified by the aforementioned literacy rate. Now more than ever, youth are packing into classrooms to soak up all of the knowledge they possibly can. In Sierra Leone, our partner focuses on providing an education and improving the quality of life for youth.
History
Sierra Leone led a quiet existence for approximately five hundred years. In 1560 it became a major port in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Over the next two hundred years Portuguese and British slave-trading settlements were set up along the coast. Britain claimed to abolish slavery in 1821, and freed slaves returned from the United States. While such slaves were from throughout West Africa and beyond, they settled in Freetown. With repatriation there became a new inequality; ex-slaves became the oppressors of the native people. There has been a long lasting disparity between Freetown and the rural areas.
Sierra Leone gained independence from Britain in 1961. Though Sierra Leone attempted to assert itself independently, the people suffered as they had no real livelihood. Civil war broke out in 1992. After ten years of suffering, the war finally ended in 2002. One of the most successful United Nations Peakekeeping Missions helped to restore peace in Sierra Leone. They have successfully held free and fair elections, and it's resilient people continue to work hard to imrpove the quality of life in their country.
Things to See & Do
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Banana Islands (Diving and Snorkelling)
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Tacugama Chimpanzee Reserve
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Bunce Island (former slave-trading fort)
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The Cotton Tree (a five hundred year old tree of historical importance, under which slaves were bought and sold)
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Lumley Beach
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Sussex Beach
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Outawa Kilimi National Park
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Mount Bintumani
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Big Market (as the name suggests, this is Freetown's largest market)
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Tiwai Island Wildflife Sanctuary
