In Kailahun, Plan has constructed nearly 100 schools, giving children access to education

Kailahun District

Location: Eastern Sierra Leone, where the rebel war started in 1991
Area: 3,946 sq..km
Population: 358,259 (2004)
Political Divisions: 14 chiefdoms, 8 sections and 1,147 localities.
Seasons: 9 months of torrential rain fall, 3 months dry weather

In Sierra Leone’s Kailahun District, about 75% of the population are farmers, thanks to a soil structure ideal for cultivating tree crops, such as cacao, kola nuts and palm oil. Inland swamps provide ideal conditions for growing rice. Despite this, the average annual income per capita is one of the lowest in the world, at just US$747 (IMF, 2009).

The Yenga border dispute between Sierra Leone and Guinea is ongoing, and whilst tensions are currently low, there remains a security risk for the people in area the due to the fragile political situation in Guinea.

Plan Sierra Leone’s Kailahun office started operations in 2004, and since then, it has been running programmes focussed on education, maternal and child health, and youth employment.

Programme highlights

Access to quality education

Plan Sierra Leone has constructed nearly 100 schools and has equipped them with learning materials. Teachers also receive training in teaching methods and children’s rights. Plan Sierra Leone also works in close partnership with Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), and has set up accommodation and provided bursaries for FAWE school girls to support their education and help them stay in school.

Health and development

Health centres in all the 14 chiefdoms in Kailahun lack sufficient qualified personnel and facilities to be able to provide adequate healthcare. So Plan Sierra Leone runs health projects to support the 67 health units. Currently, we are implementing an EU-funded project called ‘Child survival and development’ which gives nurses basic training in mother and child healthcare, childhood development and HIV/AIDS. We also provide institutional support to the District Health Management Team (DHMT) to help improve operational procedures and efficiency.

Economic security

Through its village savings and loans associations, Plan Sierra Leone has been helping individuals and communities to expand their business activity and increase their household income. It also provides an opportunity for people to meet in their groups and discuss issues affecting them and their children.  

Support our work now: sponsor a child