Sierra Leone Program Annual Report 2014 Table of contents Introduction 1 1.0. ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING PROJECT 2 - 10 2.0. VILLAGE PARTNERSHIP - COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 10 - 17 3.0. EDUCATION 17 - 20 4.0. HEALTH PROGRAMS 20 - 29 5.0. WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE PROMOTION 30 - 33 ​ ​ 6.0. AGRICULTURE 33 - 37 7.0. EBOLA RESPONSE EFFORTS 37 - 45 8.0. CONCLUSION 45 WORLD HOPE INTERNATIONAL Introduction: World Hope International (WHI) started operations in Sierra Leone in 1999 to confront issues of poverty and injustice. WHI helps provide the dignity that comes from an educated mind, a healthy body, an honest day’s wage and a safe place to heal. WHI is the one who comes alongside those gripped by poverty to offer a hand up instead of a handout. But more than ​ anything, WHI is the reflection of Jesus Christ’s compassion for all who suffer. As a Christian organization, WHI serves the poor by providing access to education, sharing economic opportunities, improving their quality of life and advocating for those unable to speak for themselves. Our vision: Transforming communities: Communities infused with opportunity, dignity and hope. Our mission: WHI is a Christian relief and development organization working with vulnerable and exploited communities to alleviate poverty, suffering and injustice. ​ What makes us unique: At WHI, we don't claim to have the grand solution to ending poverty. But there are simple steps we can take to alleviate suffering and empower the poor to help themselves. Our programs ​ ​ bring tangible and positive change to the individuals we work with, who then go on to transform their communities and their countries. We base what we do on long-term ​ ​ results: we offer much more than charity, we provide resources and knowledge to the poor, so they can ultimately become agents of change within their communities. Aims and Objectives: ● Providing assistance primarily directed to economically disadvantaged people through emergency relief and long term transformation projects. ● Partnering in crisis interventions for victims of natural disasters. ● Providing technical assistance to organizational and program development relating towards providing sustainable economic development project for the disadvantaged. ● Empowering community leaders and individuals to affect change. ● Creating locally sustainable programs to achieve lasting impact. ● Partnering with the local faith community and like minded organizations and individuals to transform communities. 1 What are we doing? For the year 2014 under review, the following projects and programs were undertaken by WHI. 1. Anti- Human Trafficking project - TIPPP & Shelter 2. Community development - Village Partnerships project 3. Education - Hope for Children Project 4. Health Project 5. Water and Sanitation 6. Agricultural Development Program 7. Ebola Response 1.0 ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING PROJECT 1.1 Operational Areas As at December 2014, WHI’s Anti - Human Trafficking project covers the entire country. The project operates in all 14 districts in Sierra Leone including Western urban and rural districts. 1.2 WHI Anti-Human Trafficking activities and impacts TIP – Prevention and Response (Shelter Project) ​ The goal of this project is to increase prevention of trafficking through community-based public awareness and national partnerships, to spread awareness of the existing legal framework to address human trafficking and thus increase prosecutions. This project also provided technical support to the government to improve and implement procedures to identify and care for survivors of human trafficking. The program’s village-level prevention activities were designed to form a network of Village Parent Groups (VPGs), local law enforcement officials and service providers working collaboratively to prevent human trafficking and to protect those victimized by it. VPGs are voluntary groups of community stakeholders, who after receiving anti-trafficking training from WHI staff, monitor the well-being of women and children in their communities. In February 2012, WHI’s Anti-Trafficking program implemented a new project, TIP Recovery Centre for ​ ​ survivors of human trafficking. The centre provides holistic and comprehensive aftercare to survivors, with the ultimate goal of (re)integrating them into healthy Sierra Leonean society. This program aims to interrupt the violent exploitation cycle of human trafficking and abuse and restore survivors to normal, healthy community life as soon as possible. For the period under review the TIP Recovery Centre (RC) typically accommodates up to 20 clients at a time. Due to the Ebola outbreak the RC ran over capacity for the entirety of the period, with 22 survivors and two infants. 2 Survivors’ hands 1.) Number of survivors cared for at the Recovery Centre in 2014: 37 survivors. Additionally: 1 mother of a survivor, 3 babies of survivors. (So, 41 people total received shelter at the RC in 2014). 2.) Number of survivors served with case management support outside of the Recovery Centre: 11 3.) Number of reintegration’s done in 2014: 14 survivors, 1 baby of a survivor ❖ Educate vulnerable communities and civil society groups to understand trafficking in persons (TIP) and adopt responsible social norms, attitudes and values regarding trafficking in Sierra Leone. A total of fifty eight (58) Village Parent Groups (VPGs) were maintained throughout Sierra Leone in the following areas (Grafton, Gbendembu, Funima, Lungi Town, Yongoro, Rosint, Kassongha, Conakry Dee, Foronkoya, Mahera, Mamankie, MCA, Pate Bana, Magburaka I, Magburaka II, Kabala I, Kabala II, Kamakwie, Yengema, Koidu, Motema, Kambia, Kassirie, Gbalamuya/Pamlap, Simbeck-Kenema, Gombu-Kenema, Buima, Tokpombu II, Segbwema, Daru, Buedu, Tokeh, Newton, Tombo, Aberdeen, Oloshoro, Shenge, Potoru, Bonthe, Taiama, Mogbwemo, Mile 91, Sinkunia, Matotoka, Kamabai, Njaiama Sewafe, Lokomassama, Moyamba, Gbangbatoke, Zimmi 1, Zimmi 2, Jendema, Kailahun, Koindu, Pujehun, New York, Gondama, 3 Moya and Lunsar) including two (2) service providers and a paralegal attached to all the groups were maintained through several activities. ❖ Receive survivors from place of identification During this reporting period, 23 survivors were identified and determined to meet criteria for admission to the Center. These survivors were collected throughout Sierra through our VPG network. ❖ Provided Residential Shelter Care ❖ Identify, educate and facilitate collaboration among governmental and non-governmental service providers to provide quality care and comprehensive services to survivors of trafficking in Sierra Leone. An MOU was signed for collaboration with a Service Provider Organization (Child Rescue Centre, Bo). WHI collaborated and trained staff members of Service Provider Organization during the reporting period. ❖ Address Physical Health Needs of Survivors ● Each new admission sees WHI’s nurse for a general health screening shortly after arrival in the Centre for a general health screening unless critical health issues require immediate attention. ● Good nutrition, physical activities, and health and hygiene lessons are regularly scheduled and practiced to promote healthy living and physical fitness. Address Social Needs of Survivors: ❖ Educate and equip law enforcement, vulnerable communities and civil society groups to understand government existing/new laws against trafficking (Legal Literacy) in Sierra Leone and become mobilized to act. ● WHI worked alongside the Ministries of Social Welfare and Justice to finalize efforts to enact new Anti-Trafficking legislation. ● Fifty eight (58) paralegals were maintained; ● Four hundred (400) paralegal reports were received; ● Forty (40) TIP cases monitored; 4 ● 1 (One) follow-up report from the region received, outlining engagement activities of religious leaders; at least 20 (Twenty) religious leaders engaged in TIP and its related issues; ● 1 (One) follow-up report received, outlining engagement activities of teachers; at least 40 (Forty) teachers either trained students on TIP or identify potential TIP cases; ● 2 (Two) follow-up reports received, outlining engagement activities of NGO/CBO representatives; at least 60 (Sixty) representatives involved in TIP and its related issues; ❖ Link Survivors with Legal Representation ❖ Prepare Survivors for Legal Proceedings ● WHI counselors accompanied survivors and provided pre-hearing support and post-event de-briefing for the survivors involved in legal proceedings. ❖ Improve WHI and Sierra Leone government TIP monitoring, data collection and documentation efforts in areas of law enforcement, public awareness and victim assistance. ❖ Assess survivor, family and community for reintegration potential ❖ Develop reintegration or placement plan ● Fifteen (15) Survivors were reintegrated to families and one was a baby of a survivor; ● Senior caregiver staffs (psychosocial adviser, social workers, counselors, manager) meet for case management meetings at least every 10 days, and in ad hoc sessions when pertinent issues arise. Case management meetings are also times of mentoring and staff development as they are encouraged to discuss cases and make decisions together. ❖ Follow up with each survivor Babies Born in the Time of Ebola Our RC staff made preparations for the birth of two babies to two, young, rape survivors at the RC— especially since one of the survivors was told that she would need to undergo a planned Caesarean-section when her baby was full-term. Thankfully, in September both mothers were able to safely deliver healthy