Plan fights girls' excision through debates, rallies and awareness raising radio sessions

Bombali District

Area: 8,279.3 sq. km
Population:  325,550
Chiefdoms: 13 Chiefdoms
Ethnic Groups: Themne, Limba, Loko, Susu
Region: Northern Sierra Leone

Established in 1977, the main areas that Plan Sierra Leone’s Programme Unit in Bombali have been working in are agriculture, income-generating activities, health and education. In 1991, the country’s civil war disrupted operations and forced the unit to scale down its activities, which started up again at the end of the war in 2002. The majority of people earn their living through trading in agricultural produce.

Programme highlights

Child Protection

Plan Sierra Leone works with local and international partner organisations in Bombali to promote and uphold children’s rights. ‘Quest for Peace’, is a community-based educational project being implemented in partnership with Children Learning Services and Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE). It promotes non-violent methods of problem solving that adults (including teachers) and children can use within their families and communities to reduce abuse at home and in school.

Plan Sierra Leone also runs an initiative to fight girls’ excision, a harmful traditional practice that is common in many districts of Sierra Leone, called ‘Breaking the silence on Female Genital Cutting’ (FGC). Debates, rallies and radio discussions take place to raise awareness about the dangers of FGC and bring about a change in people’s attitude towards it.

Plan’s ‘Kids Waves’ project also operates in Bombali, which sees children produce weekly radio broadcasts about children’s rights. It teaches them valuable skills and informs their peers and communities about children’s views and rights, and the responsibilities of stakeholders.

Quality Basic Education - Support to schools:

Plan Sierra Leone is providing a learning-friendly environment for children by building water wells, latrines, schools, and supplying school equipment.
In addition, Plan Sierra Leone is running an innovative school linking project in Bombali, where school children in Sierra Leone link up to their colleagues in the UK for a cultural exchange and to learn about each others’ country.

Community Empowerment Governance

In Bombali, Plan Sierra Leone’s governance project aims to strengthen children and youth’s participation in decisions and activities relating to their livelihood and education, particularly for those most marginalised in society. It also provides youths with opportunities to engage authorities, and to raise awareness about the importance of involving youth in governance and using good practices generated at the local level in lobbying national policy makers.

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