Kidsave Sierra Leone: Reuniting Orphan with Family

In 2014 the Ebola crisis ripped through Sierra Leone. The world responded, contained the virus and left, leaving thousands of children orphaned in Ebola Care Centers and orphanages. These children have been living without hope of ever seeing family again.  

Kidsave is working to help these children rebuild their lives, ideally with extended family in their villages, or with new families when reunification is not possible. In 2017 Kidsave helped 101 children return to family life. Most of the children, 66%, were moved into the homes of relatives or family friends. An additional 26% were placed directly into new families.  

Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries on earth. Yet families, often women, are opening their homes to these children. However, their economic situations are such that feeding and educating an extra child can cause additional stress. Consequently Kidsave is implementing a microlending program for women businesses owners who have taken in children and are at the most risk.  

Links:

• Kidsave's work in Sierra Leone
• Kidsave's work generally
• Family advocacy

Mudslide? No Obstacle to Checking on Orphans Reunited with Families

A devastating mudslide in August did not deter Martin, a Kidsave intern and Sierra Leonean student, from to visiting children reunified with their biological family members or placed in host or foster care families, to check on their happiness and adjustment. Sixty-five orphaned children were placed in the past few months with families, and now 14 more have been reunified with family members through Kidsave’s Sierra Leone program.

This was the first group the Sierra Leonean government asked Kidsave to help reunify in the Bo and Kenema districts. Now Kidsave is at work to reunify the second group of 65 with family members, or find new families for them if no immediate relatives can take them in. While new placements are ongoing, we continue to monitor and report on the conditions of the 65 placed children from the first group.

Kidsave social workers met in July with the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender & Children's Affairs in both Bo and Kenema districts to be sure our work is culturally suitable and keep ties and communication strong with local child welfare staff.

Kidsave’s recently launched campaign called “Empower Moms,” will empower a working mother to support her family for a year with a grant of $75. We are able to help 114 families this way. Since women are most often the primary caregivers Kidsave is creating a sustainable economic strengthening model to help them improve their livelihoods.

Kidsave is also developing training documents that address the program in totality and fit Sierra Leone’s culture and norms. The goal is to develop a model that can be used and implemented by local professionals to safely place children from institutions in stable and permanent homes. The model is intended to serve host families, trainers and local NGOs and have a significant positive impact on the lives of many orphaned youth.