Our Work
Our main programme thrust is advocacy on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) with primary focus on FGM, early marriage and human trafficking. We also work on issues related to:
- Education
- Health
- Water and Sanitation
- Food Security
Projects Completed
SHADE has been actively involved in anti-trafficking projects since 2014 when it implemented a project on Trafficking in Persons Prevention Project for the ECOWAS Spain Fund for Migration and Development Programme in collaboration with World Hope International. The aim of the project was to address the third area of the ECOWAS Action Plan on Migration and Development- actions for controlling irregular migration and human trafficking particularly of women and children including
a) To fight against irregular migration and trafficking
b) To strengthen migration management capacities
c) To strengthen assistance system for victims of human trafficking.
SHADE has successfully implemented a two years project with 70 adolescent girls (with an age bracket of 12-17 years) through peer group mentorship on various aspect like reproductive health, leadership etc with a primary aim of enabling these youngsters to be fruitful in society by encouraging them to either go back to school or learn a livelihood skill that will help them navigate their life journey. This project attracted both in and out of school girls and it was funded by Purposeful.
IsraAid in collaboration with SHADE implemented an SGBV by conducting series of community engagements through training for both community and SHADE volunteers by providing them with psychosocial training on sexual and gender-based violence. This followed by identifying and profiling of 150 youth (100 girls and 50 boys) for support in the areas of SGBV and providing them with economic empowerment.
As FGM is one of the most frequently harmful traditional practices performed in the district, we received a six months funding from Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) to implement with 60 in and out of school adolescent girls within the ages of 12-17 on life skills, FGM and sexual and gender-based violence issues in the district. The project helped to transform the lives of girls within the Kambia community.
The geographical location of Kambia district gave rise to the high rates of both sexual abuses and trafficking in persons. This led to the construction of a Safe Home for victims of both SGBV and Trafficking. Today, the building has a 24 bed capacity and it is providing the necessary protection needs of victims of SGBV and trafficking. This project was constructed by the Embassy of Japan through its GGHSP funds.
Presently, we are implementing a two year project called Women Community Solidarity Group (WCSG). The aim of the project is to train community women both leaders and non-leaders on con ict management, peace building, transparency and accountability on local governance activities and service delivery practices in Kambia district. This project has helped community women to be initiating peacebuilding programmes and as well as settling disputes between and amongst community members on conflict matters. As both State Actors and Non-State Actors are demanding for accountability and transparency from local government service delivery system, these women are trained to be able to hold their local government accountable on funding they received on their behalf.
As part of our psychosocial support/counselling, we received a training of trainers (TOTS) for two (2) SHADE-SL staff on psychosocial therapy with regards to trauma healing and conflict management for human wellbeing status in the 2018 and 2019. In 2019 to date, we have being receiving funding from Lemon Aid fund-USA through partnership to train and counsel over 200 community members and stakeholders on psychosocial therapy on forgiveness, gratitude and appreciation with regards to female genital mutilation/cutting victims and community people’s health and social wellbeing in their communities.
Since the emergence of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 in Wuhan China in December, 2019, the virus has spread and killed thousands of people in various parts of the world. All affected countries are working assiduously to slow the spread of the virus by testing and treating patients, carrying out contact tracing, instituting travelling bans, quarantining citizens, cancelling large gatherings, encouraging social distancing amongst others. On 31st March 2020, Sierra Leone recorded its first COVID19 case. Despite all efforts made by Government of Sierra Leone, and the International Community, the epidemic continues to have an upward trend with people infected in various locations in the country. To further prevent the spread of the epidemic, the government of Sierra Leone has developed and finalized their preparedness plans for appropriate response of any further outbreak of COVID 19 Disease by encouraging its citizens to follow the guidelines developed by WHO and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
As an organization working in Kambia district, we organized structured engagements with traditional healers and traditional Birth Attendants on COVID 19 prevention and control. Traditional people are individuals that use traditional medicines to cure sick people and their contribution to society is quiet immense. But looking at the nature of COVID-19 and its mode of transmission, we decided to encourage all the traditional healers to call the emergency Toll number of 117 whenever they have sick people rather
than them treating any sick person and above all, to abide to the rules and regulations of COVID-19 set by WHO and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
Our bene ciaries are purely women and girls. Our prime bene ciaries are women, girls and other disadvantaged groups- these include, adolescent girls, Commercial sex workers, women whose voices are not heard. In some extreme circumstances, we even fight for men and boys that are equally extremely vulnerable.
