Concern in Sierra Leone

Concern works to eliminate extreme poverty in the least developed countries of the world. Concern began working in Sierra Leone in March 1996. Operations at that time involved provision of shelter for Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Freetown and since 1997 acting as the implementing partner for UNHCR for the Liberian refugee camp at Waterloo. Since then Concern has been involved in camp management, shelter and the provision of primary health care in the Waterloo camp and environs. Concern's work in Sierra Leone is based on the principal of emergency and rehabilitation interventions principally concerned with internally displaced people in the greater Freetown area - Concern has provided emergency shelter for aproximately 60,000 people constructing shelters in Waterloo camp for IDPs and war victims - shelter programmes in Makeni and Masingbi.

Toireas Ni Bhriain, Concern Country Director with member of local Concern staff

Many international journalists who have visited Sierra Leone have described the atrocities there as the worst they have seen, the photograph above tells you why. When the rebel army - who are trying to overthrow the government - ambush towns and villages even the young are not spared. This little girl is one of thousands who have had limbs chopped off by the machete wielding rebels during the near decade of fighting. Her grandmother was shot dead during the attack in which this toddler lost her arm. And soon after this photo was taken her mother died from heart disease. Orphaned, she is now living in temporary housing provided by Concern Worldwide on the outskirts of Freetown. The on-going conflict in Sierra Leone makes it a high risk area where Concern staff are often under threat or in danger. On January 26th last year Concern announced the death of Sierra Leonean aid-worker Taiwu Kamara, a Programme Monitor in Freetown. Kamara, who was responible for overseeing the repatriation of Liberian refugees was shot by RUF rebels.

Following the Rebel invasion in January last year Concern was requested by the National Commission for Resettlement, Reconstruction, and Rehabilitation (NCRRR) and the Ministry of Housing, to begin emergency temporary shelter and semi-permanent shelter at 5 designated sites for the IDPs in Freetown and Waterloo. In March 1999 Concern began to provide support to both 'Approved School' health centre and Wellington-clinic, servicing in all, a population of 40,000. The programme currently is engaged in the following activities; preventative and curative primary health care, ante-natal and post-natal care, vaccinations growth monitoring and weight for height of children under five Health Education A number of people have returned to their villages in the hope of getting their lives restarted. They lost everything in the fighting and needed agricultural equipment and seeds for the next planting season. Concern distributed tools and seeds to up to 6,000 families in 1999.

Sierra Leonean standing among residential ruins

All photographs by Kim Haughton and Bryan O'Brien

 Visit the Concern Worldwide section on Sierra Leone for further information

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Or contact our head office at
Camden street
Dublin 2
Ireland
tel: +(353) 1 417 77 00
fax:+(353) 1 474 73 62