Women in Need of Development Sierra Leone (WIND) Sierra Leone is a non-political and not-for- profit organization of young Sierra Leonean women volunteers and gender activists.
WIND-Sierra Leone aims at the strengthening of advocacy by campaigning on the rights of underprivileged and disadvantaged persons including vulnerable women and children. At the same time, it seeks to develop their human resource potential and physical empowerment, enhancing their well-being for social fitness and a brighter future in fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Intervention areas and achievements
WIND- Sierra Leone’s specific intervention programmes include Education, Health, and Food Security. These generally focus on rural districts- which are still remote from opportunities and privileges that can enhance the establishment/rehabilitation of social structures and the resuscitation of lives in the war-ravaged towns.
Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
- Promoted trauma healing and counselling training workshops. Women and girls are in great need of emotional, mental and psychological recovery.
- Conducted training and capacity building for young women and men in peacebuilding and conflict management amongst their peers in schools and community social clubs
- Supported debating competitions and school drama and cultural shows.
Education
- Provided opportunities in capacity-building for target groups in deprived communities.
- Initiated programmes that can promote learning activities in schools and advocate for the provision of training facilities/opportunities in the areas of academic, technical/vocational, peace-building and conflict management.
- Organised capacity-building programmes that can raise awareness amongst traditional rulers (and courts) on the elements of the rule of law, which reflect the rights of the women and children with regard to non-violence.
Health
- Instituted community sensitisation and training activities/programmes on health care, thereby raising awareness on drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, prostitution, HIV/AIDS STIs/Ds and other deadly diseases.
- Advocated for free medical care and legal services for gender-based violence victims.
Food Security
- Sensitised communities on the concept of food security, engaging community-based organisations- particularly youths and women-groups- in agriculture and its related activities in an effort to strengthen the campaign for sustainable food security.
- Engaged in inland valley swamp cultivation of rice and vegetables at the Tankoro and Fiama Chiefdoms.
Gender-based Violence (GBV)
- Raised awareness on the problem of GBV and gender equality in the community
- Engaged men and boys in efforts to mobilise communities against GBV.
- Linked GBV in all other awareness-raising programs and mass media campaigns.
