Disaster Relief

NOVEMBER 2018 – FLASHBACK AND THANKS

Dear Friend,

The management is kindly thanking you for all your individual support provided that has impacted the lives of the children and girls we serve. As the season of holidays has approached and we have lot of issues to address and many activities to engage on, we thought fit to first appreciate your generous, concern and love donations done monthly.

Without your support, how far should we have gone? Should we have met our goal or our Vision toward the beneficiaries to be lifted out of poverty? No, that will be impossible without you. Your donation is like a tip of water drop into the mouth of thirsty person who is about to die, and that touch, can save his or her life. That is the worth of your donation, whether little or big, we say Thank you.

Extract Reports to date:

1)       The Girl Power, has 364 supporters and has donated $16,589.13

2)       Schools Water and Sanitation, has 7 supporters and donated $637.46

3)       Sierra Leone Mudslide and Flooding Relief has 18 supporters and 1 grant from GlobalGiving has donated $6,365.00

4)       Break the Chain of Slavery, has 3 supporters and has donated $185.00

5)       Special school for drop-out girls in marriage has 6 supporters donating ($3,870.00). $2000 donations from Anne Frank Fonds and $ 1,870 from friends (provided directly to ChildHelp Sierra Leone).

6)       Solar Rural Electrification for Communities has no supporter and no donation.

7)       Bikes for village Girls has no supporter and no donation

8)       School for rural students has no supporter and no donation

9)       Computer literacy and practice has no supporter and no donation

Extracts:

The Rural communities in Sierra Leone are suffering, facing extreme poverty according to MICS 4 reports launched recently. Sierra Leone, categorized as a fragile state, is shaped by its conflicted history, which strongly influences the situation of boys and girls. Despite ratifying CEDAW (1988) and adopting the ‘three Gender Acts’ and the Child Rights Act (2007), there has been inconsistent implementation and weak capacity of the structures mandated to protect boys and girls, as emphasized by recent research (Child Frontiers, 2010).

a)       The Girl Power recent report:

The Girl Power Project is a life changing by design activity, focusing on a generation left behind to be rescued, guided, protected and supported through development, advocacy and relief. 217 girls affected will be supported to continue their education, providing them with school fees, bags, uniforms, solar study lamps, a laptop, a bicycle, health pads, meals, monthly caring, power mentoring and social justice, campaign and awareness raising against illegal practices, harmful traditional practices, teenage pregnancy, child mothering and early child marriage.

b) Sierra Leone Mudslide and Flooding Relief:

ChildHelp was able to meet the need of those children relocated to the provincial communities in the Northern Bombali:

a)  115 beneficiaries were provided with used clothing for daily use at homes which cost $250.70

b)   34 girls were provided school uniforms - $385.33

c)   17 boys were provided with school uniforms - $385.33

d)   51 school children were provided with 2 packets of exercise books - $306

e)   51 school children fees (34 girls and 17 boys) at primary level for 2 terms only - $544

f)    115 drinking buckets and sanitary pads were provided to both boys and girls - $383.33

g)   Slight food provided during studying hours (3 days in a week) to 115 school children – $416.85

h)   Monitoring exercises to make sure that the provision reached the beneficiaries - $ 50.58

c) Break the chain of slavery

Break The Chain project is a new activity within ChildHelp Sierra Leone which came up during the boundaries visitation of human rights and government officials on boundary limitations in 2017. Every year humans are trafficked in and out of the country. We have join with other forces to help combat this terrible crime and to reach those in need and disrupt the networks that prey on vulnerable people.  These victims share one essential experience which is the loss of freedom, abused and unable to live safely and freely. We were built on a promise: to make freedom happen now for all victims of human trafficking and extreme poverty. There are more needs for training and equipping of social workers and community leaders to destroy the root causes and drivers of such practice, and rescue victims. Donation is vital to our mission to serve victims and survivors.

d) Special school for drop-out girls in marriage project –

Anne Frank Fonds ($2,000) & Friends($1,870)  raised: $ 3,870

Number of beneficiaries reached so far: 179 Impoverish and underprivileged Girls reached. This project is entirely a rescue activity for girls who dropped out of school for marriage or escaping in rural communities from their forced marriage homes. Early marriage has caused girls much suffering along with their children, unborn children and teenage pregnancy, been left behind. Teenage pregnancy and child marriage are two social vices noted with serious concern. This project aimed to rescue and support thousands of girls and women from their husband homes in skills for empowerment and to take a stand and campaign against child marriage and violent events. As a life changing activity, Ann Frank Fonds and other friends supported the training of girls and women from their husband homes, and enable them to understand and fight against (a) Physical, sexual and psychological. The project has started screening and counselling 179 survivors, protecting their privacy and confidentiality, referring and coordinating with other sectors and dealing with other humanitarian settings; Over 300 girls and women are waiting for screening and counselling, referrals and support. 78 were referred to local magistrate court through the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children Affairs and the Sierra Leone Police Family Support Unit, 13 to Vocation centers, 34 to continue their secondary education and the remaining 54 will attend YIOTEC Institution on other skills identified in January 2019.

d)       Schools Water and Sanitation –

Due to the amount of support or donations, The project team continue raising awareness and sensitisation, improving knowledge and behavior about hygiene and environmental sanitation in 12 schools and households (pupils, parents and teachers). These communities are still facing and experiencing breakout of cholera, fever, typhoid, malaria and looseness, and there great concern about the non-running bad water, intake and drinking of unsafe water, breeding and spreading mosquitoes. Every week, 2 team workers visit schools on these activities: using IEC material about participatory development, gender, hygiene and environmental sanitation and making use of illustrations and comics in schools and communities. 12 schools as targeted are still be reached with the outreach awareness messages to protect them from breakouts. Water is life, Health is Wealth – making life better for school children, their teachers and their communities’’.

THANKS YOU

The Projects do not have donation yet:

e)       Special school for drop-out girls in marriage

f)        Solar Rural Electrification for Communities

g)       Bikes for village Girls

h)       School for rural students

i)         Computer literacy and practice

The Outcome and achievements shows the many way forward and openings that can promote sponsorship to reach our beneficiaries with your little-by-little donations, providing access in underserved communities. Though the economic situation is now tough due to regime change, we are doing all our level best to meet these needs. Our Girls Reaching Girls revealed more absenteeism, teenage pregnancies, high dropout rate, women battering, an increase in forceful marriages practices in hidden communities, inadequate provision of daily needs and abuse of Child’s Rights. Sierra Leone as a country is experiencing a challenge and this is really tough. Though it is not be easy, but we believe in you and our supporters, with our lessons learnt and expansion, we will do more.

We are requesting double donations on this #Giving Tuesday, and end of Year campaign, that has started from November 27 and ends at December 31^st, 2018. All these projects above are part of the competition for bonus prizes and $150,000 in matching money. Your donation can gain more bonuses and matching money to reach our goal.

ChildHelp wish to extend thanks to you as one of our fine supporters, who has worked with us so hard to reach at this level. Thanks to our able GlobalGiving Foundation and its donors, GPEDC, COL, John Nadolski and friends, Anthropology Compassion, Child Help Line International, Webb family, Girls Not Brides, Anne Frank Fonds etc, for such great assistance. We will be still providing you with more reports and pictures. Donors are always welcome to visit project sites were their money was used. Your partnership, donations, love and concerns, means the world to us! Without your donation, we should not have gone so far.

God bless you for your usual cooperation. On behalf of ChildHelp Family, may we wish you a blessed #GivingTuesday, A Happy Christmas and a bright and Prosperous New Year in advance. Thanks you so much.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Petupie G. Bangura

CEO

ChildHelp Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone

GLOBAL GIVING FOUNDATION GRANT REPORT

PROJECT PARTNERSHIP REPORT 2018

Project Name -   Sierra Leone Mudslides Recovery

Project Leader -  Kaprie J G Thoronka                         Membership -          Super Star

Funding -            USD 2,500 = SLL 18,750,000

Report Period -    March to September 2018 (school opening)

Funding Partners in the Project:

Global Giving Foundation: supported the Sierra Leone Mudslides Recovery that made the provision.

Anne Frank Fonds: supported the removal of girls from their husband homes to be educated.

Pastor Bradley Webb - USA: Supported teachers (From the YUA School) on holiday study group classes.

MUDSLIDE AND FLOODING RECOVERY REFLECTION / FLASHBACK

The Relief Sector of ChildHelp Sierra Leone, is a disaster emergency relief activity that aims at building real bridges into society with a mission to meet the need of children and their families in rural communities, who had suffered and experienced the worst mudslides and flooding hits, with their houses, properties and lives submerged and damaged from July to September 2017. Thousands of people including children were killed and flooded. Today, thousands has been displaced and migrated, unable to rebuild and restore their lives, hope and normalcy. Thousands are also relocated to different places including the rural provincial communities. Affected school going children and youths where also relocated to access better education, livelihood, water and sanitation facilities.

a)   Since August 2017, ChildHelp has been part of the disaster relief development for those affected by the flooding and mudslides for relocations to their rural provinces in places such as Looking Town – Makeni, Gbendembu, Kalangba, Manjawor and its surroundings. Meetings and consultations for relocations with authorities were done in the best interest of children, aged 7 - 19 years from the affected flooding zones in Freetown and in other flooded communities in the Bombali district.

b)   August 2017: 93 affected school children identified were relocated and provided with emergency relief in the form of food, education, health and housing facilities.

c)   September to November: 115 affected school children identified were also relocated with support

d)   August to February 2017: GlobalGiving Foundation provided a grant of USD$ 3,865 to reach affected school children relocated with food, clothing, health and livelihood. 82 Family heads of the affected children were supported with ongoing activities - farming and income generation is for these coming raining seasons that will help them take care of their children relocated in their new settlement.

e)   March to September 2018: Global Giving provided a grant of USD 2,500, to reach 115 school children identified in September to November 2017, to provide them with the following:

       i. Provided used clothing, Books, School fees and school uniforms to access basic education.

       ii.  Provided buckets and cups for safe water drinking as an hygiene practices for better health, home nutritional supplies to be used during studying group sessions for better health,

       iii.  Engaged community members on the value of accessing and retaining in schools,

       iv.   Supported 9 school children Study Groups for learning through the provision of a safe place to study,

       v.  Held 6 monthly school children’s interface meetings at school levels, monitor and supervise the project implementation jointly with the community, school managements and general stakeholders.

       vi.   Provided topics relevant to school childrens daily lives during the study group sessions on Saturdays only.

Expenditure:

ChildHelp supported school children and youths in the following areas:

115 school children aged 7- 19 years were relocated and registered in various schools and centers for support.

The provision started in March 2017 and ended September 2018 when schools reopened.

Areas of support:

a)  115 beneficiaries were provided with used clothing for daily use at homes which cost $250.70

b)   34 girls were provided school uniforms - $385.33

c)   17 boys were provided with school uniforms - $385.33

d)   51 school children were provided with 2 packets of exercise books - $306

e)   51 school children fees (34 girls and 17 boys) at primary level for 2 terms only - $544

f)    115 drinking buckets and sanitary pads were provided to both boys and girls - $383.33

g)   Slight food provided during studying hours (3 days in a week) to 115 school children – $416.85

h)   Monitoring exercises to make sure that the provision reached the beneficiaries - $ 50.58

The Outcome and achievements shows the many way forward and openings that can promote sponsorship support to reach the victims in their local communities, providing access in their underserved communities.

Such experience learnt and constraints faced brought experience as ingredient and catalyst, fitting for the continuation and undertaking of such activity, to expel and ensure provision of educational access and retainment for these victims affected by the Mudslide and Flooding in Sierra Leone. This support addressed the issue of school children left behind and has hold tremendous potential to improve their education, health and living conditions. The project team and its engagement with the community stakeholders and school authorities created education for those left behind to be very meaningful and important, as an awareness raised has actively impacted the high marked neediest group for support.

UNLEASHING THE POWER OF LEARNING THROUGH SIERRA LEONE MUDSLIDES RECOVERY PROJECT

Sierra Leone Mudslides Recovery came as a reflected issue from the disasters that took place in Freetown and in the Bombali district from July to September 2017, to improve the lives of those children who were relocated with their parents, gaining them admission and supporting their accessing and retaining in schools from March to September 2018. This project is strategically an activity that builds up and empowers affected children with love and care.  

The issue of Sierra Leone Mudslides Recovery is building more rooms for our Local community stakeholders and the Council, the school children and the 4 operational communities on children supports. This Project is an ongoing activity aiming at supporting 115 school children, but has now reach 389 school children since August 2017. Upon relocation, beneficiaries’ parents/caregivers do lack of financial support to provide the necessaries needed for their children to access and retain in school. Global Giving Foundation’s support provided used clothing, uniforms, and exercise books for targeted school children, to access and retain in school up to 2018 August/September. Their provision of used clothing to protect their skins and buckets for safe water drinking, to protect them from taking in or contacting sicknesses and diseases improved their hygienic situation. Slight foods were provided occasionally and minimal only during school children study sessions in 9 centres. During ChildHelp project team visits, they share with them issues of concern which includes gender-based violence, early child marriage, social change, leadership, change agents, stories and dialogue. 274 school children were added to 115 school children making it 389, to access the study group activities as from May 2017. These 274 are also those affected whose parents cannot afford. Most of these girls within the 274, has been already handed over by their parents/caregivers to men as childbrides.

The project team was able to bring them out of their husband houses to access and retain in schools supported by Anne Franks Fonds. These girls also took part in the study group activities. This has been successful. The numbers of pupils attending each study group (9 study groups) increases every week in all centres as study group activities are free of charge. The sponsored study locations has become very interesting place for child networking, expressing concerns and issues, which has change their attitudes, raised their awareness for improvement in their learning and communities. By providing such relief, it helps the beneficiaries recover their strength and learning facilities they lost because of the disaster. Their parents/caregivers were also happy for such relief as money now gained will be used for other purposes. The ChildHelp team visits and interviews of children in school and beneficiaries parents/caregivers were based on the learning progress with teachers and community leaders, with face-to-face interviews, on positive and negative issues, including gender-based violence, abuses and harassment of girls during school hours. Arising issues from the interviews were addressed and dealt with, in the presence of the school authorities. Other cases are transferred to appropriate authorities for actions. The team is also a strong key stakeholder in defining, communicating and reinforcing expectations for those disaster school children, especially the girls.

PERFORMANCE

The beneficiaries are doing well during these learning process and study group sessions. They scored well in their promotional exam, that’s means; they used the study group period well and learnt different life-skills, which is a major step in making their success meaningful, with encouragement provided such as light food during study group hours. The beneficiaries work hand in hand in their schools and in their study groups. Their output from school and study groups impact new waves in social and educational system that unleashes their power.

Staff and volunteers including the local community stakeholders detailed project indicators, achievements, minutes of meetings, listing of participants, reporting and their effectiveness in undertaken the project in a well timely and plan manner. Beneficiary’s interactions share their deepest feelings and stories on issues addressing their basic needs and gender equality. Beneficiaries were able to learn, respect time, their peers and their school teachers, study very hard with visions to effect change in their own lives.

Many questions raised by beneficiaries are connected with the position of their government and the international community, on what values do they have for them being affected by the disaster and what future plans do they have for them, since they have lost their loved ones? How can they effect a change in the world, when the issues of children are not on their AGENDA? Visibility of Global Giving Foundation and their individual supporters, Anne Franks and other were made known. Beneficiaries were blessed to have friends who care for them. Beneficiaries promised partners to do well as long as they will continue in their support toward them. Through focus discussion with 233 children, they requested that governments should be pressured to make a real decision and keep to their promises for their children not to be left behind.

The commitment of beneficiaries and their parents/caregivers according to the project concept as an eye opener, caused them to be serious, to access and retain in school, to stand out and voice their needs. The study group network contribution brought changes against negative impacts that put an end to silence and isolation and powerlessness, through their network activities.

Local participation was encourage during meetings with invited guests from Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Childrens Affairs, children’s clubs and other action agencies where refreshment was given and recommendations were made. The ChildHelp Project team quality and frequency of collecting content, accessing information from children, their parents/caregivers from schools and their communities was successful. The public – readers, listeners and viewers were encouraged and participated via community radios to add comments and reactions as well as influence content by providing suggestions and questions. Audiences were encouraged as they interact with Project Team on and off project sites. Such performance was really interested. From their participation in school and study group meetings, discussions and interactions, we see challenging performance, moving for progress, putting an end to silence and isolation, and found a place to express their concerns and aspirations, learning together to find solutions to their barriers and connecting with each other.

OUTCOMES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

a)  Sponsored 115 school children (boys and girls) aged 7-19 years to access basic education (from Monday to Friday) and study groups in 9 centres (from Thursdays to Saturdays – 3 hours each) followed by one day visit discussion on topics such as education, child marriages, gender-based violence, abuses and neglect for an hour only.

b)  Beneficiaries building a defined group network to be untapped resources of problem solvers and strategist in learning.

c)  9 study groups established sharing responsibility and embracing each other that make changes in the lives of school children within their study groups and schools.

d)  The number increased from 115 to 389 in the study group centers activities.

e)  Beneficiaries envisioning better futures and start down brave paths towards those new destinations.

f)   Beneficiaries were given the right supports to gain access to education.

g)  Isolation and silence are two equally potent forces beneficiaries are dealing with.

h)  Beneficiaries were trained to connect with each other, as their lives are transforming.

i)   Updates focusing on donors contributions and implementation of Sierra Leone Mudslides Recovery Initiatives

j)   Weekly or bi-weekly updates focusing on beneficiaries learning activities

k)  65% local participation of the public via community radio.

LESSON LEARNED AND DISSAPOITNMENTS FACED

During these 7 months, we see beneficiaries with the spirit to return to school, access and retain in schools.

From such, we learnt as well of the following gaps and issues:

We understand the myriad of problems that affected the school children and the needs in the studying centres, which we were able to stand and break such barriers, united and forge ahead. ChildHelp is the first organisation that has organised studying centres with supports, which need more attention. It was organised FREE for school children. The study centres need more facilities to allow school children to contribute to issues affected them which is not accepted during their learning process in schools. School children over 14 years asking for an internet connection facilities to be included in their package, to access information and communication, such facility will be provided when funds are available.

The setting up of these centres has helped the communities to keep their children busy after school hours. With the availability of paid facilitators, children became effective during their study group classes and this made them passed their entrance exams. Though Cultural and local attitudes were acting as a barrier to access such facility, for fear of child violence which includes sexual abuse and teenage pregnancy, materials were developed to encourage participation that changed such attitudes; this materials includes Child Safeguard and Maltreatment policies, to make sure that, a child especially girls, are protected during studying period unto returning at home safely. ChildHelp research shows the important of the involvement of fathers, mothers, boys and men in realizing positive health and education outcomes for these school children.

We also learn that this project will empower these school children that has returned back home, will inherit a greater vision of how they will be leaders of tomorrow, if continued support is provided. There is enough strength and conviction in the school children to overcome every obstacle.

From school learning, teaching, discussion and focus group meetings, we learned that the project have more investment in the school children. We see school children as beneficiaries working together with the same aim of attitudinal change and using the services well.

Constraints

More financial support is needed for transportations and provision of more supports for school children in schools and study centers. There is an increase of school children. School and learning materials are in short supply. Support is not sufficient for project staff on their monitoring exercise and data collection. More support needed for facilitators to attend to study groups in different centers. 3 out of 6 days were chosen for study groups’ activities. Study group activities should be from Monday to Saturday mornings. Non-registered school children use the study centers freely under the supervision of the Project team but have less support. The project has created a tension in the school communities.

CHANGES

There is a rise in the need for learning and study group centers. ChildHelp will continue to focus and concentrate to support these beneficiaries to access such opportunities. ChildHelp team is committed to efforts, energy, innovation and talent to enact measurable and efficient interventions to eradicate child’s illiteracy and improve their access and retentions in school. To effect a change, we encourage partners to support us meet the needs of these school children.

Thanks and appreciation to our caring Global Giving Foundation and its donors for provisions made possible, Anne Franks Fonds and Pastor Bradley Webb and friends who made this project possible. You are all, our fine partners. God bless you.