Action for Rural Development Sierra Leone (ARD-SL) aims to address the root causes of conflict in Sierra Leone such as the exclusion of marginalised groups in decision-making processes including women and youth, unequal power relations between local authorities and community people and also the state and citizens, and lack of accountability and information sharing at chiefdom and district level.

ARD-SL works to address these issues, carrying out activities such as a  Training in Conflict Transformation and Peace building ,organising governance and accountability programs, community relationship mapping, power and stakeholders  analysis sessions,  Policy advocacy, gender training, Transformative leadership trainings Sensitization of communities through  radio discussion .Organise quarterly chiefdom level governance and accountability sessions. Training in human right and paralegal support services ,Community Animation organising and mobilisation .land governance .

Achievements

• 20 Village Development Committees (VDCs) established and functioning, which are working to strengthen development initiatives and resolve conflict.
• 30 Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilders (CTPB) trained and replicating skills in their communities.
• Developed Conflict Training manual for peace monitors in the operational chiefdoms in Bonthe District.
• Community members equipped with skills in handling and resolving conflict, and recognising early warning signs.
• Community Structures established which are now taking up advocacy issues at a higher level.
• Community relationship Conflict Mappings have help to increased community social cohesion and thus ease community participation and improved cooperation and collaboration among members.
• Chiefdom Local authorities now demonstrating better leadership styles as a result of the transformative leadership training.
• Community dialogue sessions have provided the marginalised with a voice and space to openly speak out on community issues that can lead to conflict and have designed possible solutions to address them.
• Chiefdom local authorities now sharing information with their subjects on chiefdom revenue collected and it uses.
• Inclusion of women and youth in community, and chiefdom level decision – making structures for example VDCs and Tribal Authorites (TAs).
• Community skills and capacities enhanced to now effectively hold chiefdom and local governance structures accountable for improved service delivery.
• Working with Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law in the monitoring of security and justice institutions in Bonthe District.
• During the outbreak of the Ebola in Sierra Leone, ARD-SL worked with District Ebola Response Team through the Social Mobilization Pillar to fight Ebola in Bonthe District.