Sierra Leone is a small country located on the West Coast of Africa. It is about 43,200 sq. Km (27,000 sq. Mi) and has a population of about 5.2 million people. It is politically divided, and it still bears scars from a twelve-year civil war that enveloped the country and left more than 50,000 dead. This devastating conflict rapidly increased the number of orphans and vulnerable children who are at high risk of being exposed to various forms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

The illiteracy in Sierra Leone is 74% while the mortality rate is 155/1000 live births. The poverty rate is 70%, and most of the population live on less than Le3,200 (or $1.00) a day. Lack of attention and inequality in providing essential services has dramatically hampered the social and economic development of this small country. These issues are an immense challenge both to the government of Sierra Leone and development partners. Our survey identified more than 2,500 children in the Upper Bambara Chiefdom, Kailahun District who are in dire need of assistance to acquire education. Most of these children do not go to school because they cannot afford the necessary school materials. Others lack requirements such as uniforms, books, or stationery. Many cannot get a single balanced meal a day, let alone two.

The CEM Primary School for Orphans and Vulnerable Children has about 250 children in attendance. It is the only school for OVCs in the district meant for children who have gone through horrendous experiences during the civil war. These children need quality education, as well as health care, psychosocial support, shelter, adequate nutrition, trauma healing, and counseling. These services will allow them to reintegrate into their communities for peaceful co-existence. The school lacks proper sanitary and water facilities, and it also needs an additional six classroom block for admission of more orphans in the subsequent years. There is a dire need to strengthen the “Community Participation for the Empowerment of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (COPE-OVC)” Program. CEM and HelpAge International will enhance the capacity of community-based organizations to target, deliver, monitor, and evaluate effective social-protection programs

With these needs in mind, CEM has initiated this campaign to appeal to donors and other philanthropic organizations to help protect these children who currently have no future. CEM and its partners want to ensure that these children understand their rights to protection, assistance, and access to basic needs. We desire to prepare these children for a brighter future. We want to create responsible future citizens who will contribute meaningfully to the development of their respective communities and Sierra Leone in general. $10.00 per child per month will allow us to train caregivers for psychosocial services, provide support to orphans and vulnerable children, food-security training, books, pencils, teaching materials, shoes, blankets, and medical care. It will also allow us to disburse OVC grant funds (scholarships for orphans). Vehicles and computers donated to CEM Missions, Inc. for children’s programs in Sierra Leone are tax- deductible. Just $10.00 per orphan for a month can make a difference. https://www.cemmissions.org