HELP-SL launches the support to women’s peace building and recovering.

Introduction
A Hand Empowering the Less Privilege in Sierra Leone (HELP-SL) is an incorporated charitable company working with multilateral agencies and other humanitarian organizations in supporting vulnerable groups and communities affected by the civil war.

With the country’s growing peace and its accompanying change in the context, HELP-SL engages partners and other stakeholders in re-orienting its activities to a participatory, people centred, rights-based and empowerment approach. This is geared towards contributing to improved governance, justice and poverty reduction for post war communities.

Our strategic plan for 2008-2013 provides and ensures consistency;

focusing on contextual critical issues including Governance and peace-building, Women and children’s Rights, Food security and Environment, human Security, Capacity building and organizational Development.

HELP-SL is a gender responsive development institution; with gender mainstreaming policy in place and key to our future work in developing and promoting women’s empowerment and advancement in both the public and the private sectors. We recognize that equipping women in these sectors can greatly improve the development of our societies.

Our Impact
On the 22nd November, 2009 HELP-SL Women’s Empowerment and Advancement Programme (WEAP) Launched the UNIFEM project ‘Supporting Women’s Rights and Recovery Peace Building Sierra Leone’ at Fonikoh in Pujehun district.

Among the dignitaries of the chiefdom who attended the ceremony were; Chief Lansana Koroma, Chiefdom speaker Mr Vandi Kong Magonna, PC representative, Pastor Patrick Kpaka, Chief Lansana Kamara , Madam Jeneba koroma - Gender Desk officer South, Allieu Badara - Chiefdom youth leader and Mr. Dauda D. Fawundu - Deputy district chairman who gave the keynote address. This was preceded by a radio panel discussion on the violations against women especially in the district at radio

Wanjeh in Pujehun town. Participants of this discussion were, Gender Desk Officer South, the CEO/Director of HELP-SL and the manager WEAP.

After the launching there was a three days training session conducted by WEAP HELP_SL. Twenty (20) animators were trained in ‘Active Listening Skills’ of the audio version of the three Gender Acts. These animators in turn have the responsibility of propagating the three Gender Acts in 20 communities in kpanga Kabondeh, Galiness Perri and Peje-Pujehun district.

HELP SL will continue to work with women in more communities to bring about a genuine change in these societies.