BRAC began working in Sierra Leone in 2008 with its principal activities being the provision of health services, education, agriculture, livestock, and youth empowerment programmes. We are presently operating in the country’s Western area and some parts of the Northern province.
At present, 55 branches have been established in 18 districts of the country.
Social Development
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Financial Inclusion
OUR IMPACT
Data Reporting Period:
January 2018 to June 2021
COUNTRY SITUATION
Sierra Leone is exposed to a large range of natural and man-made disasters, particularly floods, epidemics, landslides and mudslides, drought, coastal erosion, fires and water sources pollution. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Sierra Leone is the third most vulnerable country to the effects of climate change.
The maternal mortality rate in Sierra Leone is the highest in the world with 1,360 mothers dying in every 100,000 live births. The mortality rates of neonates, infants, and children under five are also amongst the highest globally at 34, 82, and 111 deaths per 1,000 live births respectively. Maternal deaths account for 36 per cent of all deaths amongst women aged 15-49 years (UNICEF, 2019).
Agriculture, including forestry and fisheries, is the mainstay of its economy, employing over 60% of the labour force mostly at the subsistence level. The country is food insecure, however, and is a net importer of rice. Adolescents and youth face multiple challenges in terms of access to food, schooling, health services, and employment. Adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health issues coupled with their economic dependency make them more vulnerable in both urban and rural areas. Moreover, Sierra Leone has one of the lowest rates of financial inclusion on the African continent. Only 1 in 5 adults have access to formal financial services in the country. Financial inclusion is even lower for women and people living in poverty.
OUR APPROACH
BRAC Sierra Leone takes a participatory, community-based, and inclusive approach to designing context-specific, impactful programmes. Our interventions in urban, rural, and refugee settings prioritise the equitable participation of all groups, particularly women and youth. We work directly with communities, keeping their voice and their story at the centre of our programmes.
OUR PROGRAMMES
Agriculture, Food Security and Livelihood
BRAC Sierra Leone’s Agriculture, Food Security and Livelihood (AFSL) programme aims to improve food security and livelihoods, reduce hunger, malnutrition and poverty through increased income and environmentally sustainable agriculture production. Our projects employ a holistic approach that seeks to enhance the community and markets, through technical training, input support, access to finance and the creation of value chain linkages. This approach helps to increase productivity and household income, create jobs for rural communities, enhance food security, and improve nutrition for the rapidly-growing population of Sierra Leone.
Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme
BRAC Sierra Leone’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme (EPRP) aimed to build disaster preparedness and emergency response capabilities of local actors, vulnerable communities, and institutions. We expanded our activities to two schools and communities, and across two local governments in Freetown and Port Loko district. The EPRP project ended in April 2021.
Health
BRAC Sierra Leone’s Health programme trains Community Health Promoters to embark on robust engagement and sensitisation at schools and communities. We train CHPs on how to prevent and control malaria, focusing on selected key messages for better understanding. We build the capacity of our programme staff who conduct static health forums and supervise community and school health clubs in carrying out their daily outreach activities. We work together with the district Health Management Teams to conduct awareness sessions and radio shows on the prevention and control of communicable diseases.
Youth Empowerment
Our Empowerment and Livelihood for Adolescents (ELA) model, under the Youth Empowerment programme, is designed to empower adolescent girls and young women with life-skills, livelihood training, vocational training and startup kits to start small-scale businesses. At present, our ELA operations are implemented in Bo district, two chiefdoms, and 10 communities, mentoring 300 girls between the ages 10-22. Our adolescent clubs also serve as a social space for girls who learn and share their reproductive and sexual health issues and provide relevant learning materials and support recreational activities such as reading, dancing, and indoor and outdoor games.
Microfinance
BRAC Microfinance Sierra Leone Limited is the largest microfinance institution of the country with 39 branches in 12 districts, 58,133 borrowers, and a loan portfolio of over USD 9.2 million. It provides inclusive financial services to people living in poverty, with a strong focus on women living in rural and hard-to-reach areas.Read More →
OUR PROGRAMME MAP
OUR PRODUCTS
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LATEST FROM US
OUR STORY
All people need is the opportunity to realise it.
Our story began in a small village in Bangladesh in 1972. 50 years later, BRAC is the largest NGO in the world with roots and origins in the global south. What began as relief work, deepened and broadened into long-term investment in human potential.
DONORS & PARTNERS
COUNTRY LEADERSHIP TEAM
Joseph Nabie
Programme Manager, Agriculture, Food Security and Livelihood
BRAC Sierra Leone
Programme Manager
Accelerated Impact for Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AIM)
Contact Us
Office Address
House #4, Lane #4
District 2, Butcher Street
Baharistan, Karte Parwan
Kabul Afghanistan
Contact Number
M: +93(0) 704 074 244