Sierra Leone is a small country located in the Western part of Africa, bounded by Guinea and Liberia. It has a population of about four million people. Sixty five percent of this population is of the youthful age while the remaining thirty five percent constitutes the children and adult. The rate of mortality over the years has been on the increase since the end of the devastated civil war. Statistics has shown that Sierra Leone has a very high percentage of illiterate people and half of that percentage is made up of young people.

During the eleven years rebel incursion which affected not only the Sierra Leone but the entire sub-region had a very grave impact on the Society and its people. During this period the people were forced to leave their homes, villages and towns to seek safe haven in neighboring towns, villages and countries. Many lost their relations, families were separated, homes and properties were destroyed, leaving thousands hopeless and homeless at the end of the war.

Schools were burnt down, hospitals were destroyed, banks and other infrastructures were looted and burnt down leaving no option for the school going neither children nor the working class but to run for their lives.

At the end of the War when a fragile democratic government was elected, those in exile began to return home only to find out that there were no more homes for them and they needed to start from scratch. Children had to attend classes in burnt classrooms, under palm thatch buildings and zinc build structures. The people found it very difficult to go back to their normal lives as their houses were destroyed and their farms totally looted and burnt down.

Life at this point became very difficult and only the few very strong that could afford survived leaving the majority with no other option than street begging, resulting also into a high rate of criminal activities. On the other hand, some were lucky and re-united with their relations who survived the war whiles others mourned theirs.

The Few schools with some qualified teachers that emerged hereafter are very expensive and demanding. The locations of these schools / institutions became another challenge for those who could not afford even one way transportation.

Medical facilities are not easily accessed, resulting to the high mortality rates. People began to die from curable diseases like Malaria, Cold etc. Health and Education was no longer a right but a privilege because the fees were so high resulting to many young girls and boys becoming dropouts.

With this humble background, Young Peace Brigades decided to have its programs implemented in Sierra Leone in an effort to restore hope to the hopeless and contribute to the Peace and Holistic Development of the Nation and its people.

Programs and Activities to be implemented by Young Peace Brigades – Sierra Leone:

• HUMAN RIGHTS AND ADVOCACY:
  This program is geared towards disseminating and raising awareness about Human Rights, the tools and the roles and responsibilities of the people and the power of advocacy. YPB-SL will engage in every advocacy activity that seeks to promote human dignity, fight against corruption, human rights, Peace and the like.
• HIV/AIDS:
  HIV/AIDS is posing a serious treat to the development of the African sub-region and its young people especially. The level at which young people are risking their lives in engaging in very unsafe sexual practices is very high. The rate at which the virus is spreading amongst young people is unbearable and if appropriate actions are not taken to raise awareness and help transform them into practicing safe sexual habits, we would have no youthful generation to take over leadership in the near Future.
  
  

  YPB-SL will endeavor to initiate and implement campaign and awareness raising programs that will seek to fight against the deadly disease, and will collaborate with any organization to implement programs of such.

• LEADERSHIP AND INTEGRITY PROGRAM:
  Corruption has become an inevitable life style of most of our African leaders.
  The greed for power amongst the people has been of a serious concern, while people continues to point fingers at others for lack of effective or no performance, but when given the opportunity; little or nothing is done to contribute to the positive change required by the people.
  
  The problem is neither with lack of change nor the lack of leadership ability, but the fact lies with the lack of integrity in carrying out of their objectives. Integrity has been absent in the dictionary of our leaders and its absence has contributed greatly to the lack of good governance in the African sub-region.
  
  Young Peace Brigades Sierra Leone seeks to implement an ongoing leadership training activity which aims at transforming the mindset of especially the young people, leaders, community elders etc. creating a sense of responsibility and accountability in a drive to fight against corruption and fraud in governance.
• EDUCATION AND LIFE SKILLS TRAINING:
  The organization seeks to provide basic formal education and life skills training for needy young people who have lost their hope and desperately in need of assistance. YPB-SL will provide basic formal education and life skills trainings like: Secretarial studies, Public Administration, Basic Business Management Principles, Basic Computer skills training, Soap making, Batik designing, dress making and sewing, agriculture and farming, and arts and crafts etc. These life skills training will be solely for young deprived girls, destitute, orphans and the neediest.
• FAMILY STRENGTHENING / SUPPORT PROGRAM (FSP):
  YPB-SL in collaboration with YBP international in a drive to fight against corruption and poverty will seek to assist / empower needy young people (orphans, destitute & dropouts) and their families who have successfully completed the basic education and life skills trainings with small scale loans to start their own businesses in their communities.
• MEDIA ART, CULTURE AND SPORTS:
  YPB-SL after a research has discovered that even young people who may not have had the opportunity to enter or complete academic educational programs has a lot of hidden talents and treasures which can be of great use to society to the benefit of their families, community and the entire nation.
  Some young people may not have the ability to pursue academics to the highest level due some background or mental challenges, but they can perform better in Drama, Music, Creative Arts and other sporting activities.
  YPB-SL will help to train and develop these talents, and advocate for opportunities for participation in National, Regional and International Competitions and exchange programs which will expose and link them with other young people.

CONTACT:

Young Peace Brigades Sierra Leone.
sierraleone@youngpeacebrigades.org
www.youngpeacebrigades.org

Mr. Herbert S. A. Bangura
Programme Director
Sierra Leone
herbert.b@youngpeacebrigades.org

Secretariat
Young Peace Brigades
Sierra Leone
infosl@youngpeacebrigades.org