Sierra Leone

AGSP/Sierra Leone At a Glance:

• Program Start Date: February 2005
• Academic Focus: Primary School
• Academic Year Start: September
• Number of Local partners: 5
• Number of Scholarships to Date: 14,619 (Girls: 13,424 Boys: 1,195)
• Number of Schools: 120
• Number of Mentors: 117
• Geographic Focus: Port Loko District, Bombali District, Kono District, Kenema District, Kailahun District and Koinadugu District

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Basic Information

World Education has relationships with five local organizations in Sierra Leone. They are: Christian Extension Services (CES), Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), Forum for African Women Educationalists–Sierra Leone (FAWESL), Community Empowerment for Rural Development (CEFORD) and Network Movement for Justice; and Development (NMJD).

Mentors are volunteers who are social workers, development practitioners, teachers, nurses, HIV/AIDS specialists and counseling officers. They have been actively involved in home visits, organizing study groups both at school and in girls' homes, conducting HIV/AIDS awareness programs and discussions for the students as well as talks on other health issues, child rights and leadership training for communities.

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Program Overview

In Year 1, the AGSP in Sierra Leone provided scholarships to 2,965 girls in five regions of the country with assistance from an in–country consultant, Marie Jalloh. The AGSP activities in Year 1 were implemented as planned. The program was able to accomplish its Year 1 objectives and the stakeholders began preparing for Year 2 well in advance.

Since October 2005, the scholarships have been disbursed and the mentoring and community activities were launched with a high level of enthusiasm and participation on the part of the girls and the communities.

In Year 2 our NGO partners were able to increase the targeted number of scholars from 2,965 to 3,399 girls.

In Year 3, the number of scholars increased further to 4,021. Visits were conducted to the region by World Education and IETC (World Education's subcontractor) representatives.

This year (year 4), there are 4,234 AGSP scholars (3,039 girls and 1,195 boys) who have received textbooks, notebooks, pencils, pens, uniforms, bags, shoes, tuition, raincoats, lamps as well as a meal a day in some schools.

World Education has relationships with five local organizations: Christian Extension Service (CES) in Koinadugu; Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Port Loko, Forum for African Women Educationalists–Sierra Leone (FAWESL) in Kailahun and Kenema; Community Empowerment for Rural Development (CEFORD) in Bombali; and Network Movement for Justice; and Development (NMJD) in Kono.

Scholars are selected through a transparent process which increases accountability and inclusiveness. The girls are chosen by selection committees at the local level (mainly at the chiefdom level in each district) made up of head teachers, district paramount chief and/or village chief, women's leader, youth leader, representatives Ministry of Education and/or Social Welfare, Gender and Children's Affairs, Inspector of schools, religious leaders. The composition differs from district to district with committee membership typically ranging from 6–12 persons.

The scholarships are comprised of books, notebooks, pencils, pens, uniforms, bags, shoes, tuition, raincoats, lamps as well as a meal a day.

Mentors in Sierra Leone are volunteers who are social workers, development practitioners, teachers, nurses, HIV/AIDS specialists and counseling officers. Mentors, for the most part have been recruited by our NGO partners to work with AGSP scholars and other students. The mentors have been actively monitoring the girls' academic work, they organize home visits, and help organize and supervise study groups both at the school and in the girls' homes. Mentors also work with the NGOs to conduct HIV/AIDS awareness programs and discussions for the students as well as talks on other health issues, child rights and leadership training for communities. We expect the mentoring activities in Sierra Leone to build the scholars' self–esteem improve their academic performance and provide them with essential life skills.

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Exemplary Practices

FAWE–SL Practice: Mentor per Village Facilitates School and Home Visits

FAWE–SL's mentoring program schedules school and house visits by mentors from each village, which has allowed mentor visits to AGSP scholars' homes at least once this semester, as confirmed by parents.

• The purpose of the home visits is to confirm that scholars are making use of scholarship materials, as well as advising scholars on female reproductive and health issues, such as cleanliness during menstruations.
• FAWE SL's use of mentors has also helped create synergies with other partners that are working on HIV/AIDS, SRGBV, sexual violence, public lectures etc. FAWE–SL collaborated with Children in Crisis (CIC) of the United Kingdom to develop a manual for elementary children on HIV/AIDS titled "My Life! My Choice! My Future!" AGSP mentors are planning training with the manual as part of their current work plan.
• FAWE SL has also recruited medical doctors who will also use the manual to talk to girls on health related issues including HIV/AIDS.
• FAWE SL introduced training in skill acquisition, such as cloth weaving, as part of the mentoring activities.

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