Rainbo Initiative

Rainbo Initiative OUR PROFILE:
Our history is intertwined with the sexual and reproductive health struggles of women in the aftermath of the Sierra Leone civil war.

We are a trusted and reliable anti-sexual violence organisation dedicated to creating a just, safe, and empowered society that promotes social and equal opportunities for all. The Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission of 2002 recommended that the government of Sierra Leone should provide free psychosocial support and reproductive health services to women affected by the conflict. The In

ternational Rescue Committee (IRC) responded to this call with a project that established Rainbo Centres and thus the genesis of Rainbo Initiative in 2003. Between 2003 and 2005, IRC established three Rainbo Centres in Freetown, Kenema, and Kono. We thus became the first provider of free medical treatment and psychosocial services for survivors of Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Sierra Leone. We are a trusted and reliable anti-sexual violence organisation dedicated to creating just and safer communities by inspiring and supporting grassroots solutions to complement national governments' efforts to end SGBV. We combine charity and social enterprise approaches to finance, deliver, and sustain our work in providing free support services to enhance the care, healing, and dignity of SGBV survivors through our Rainbo Centres. Survivors are not only beneficiaries of our work but they are also equal partners with a stronger voice in helping us find sustainable solutions to mend the scars and end sexual violence and all its forms. No matter their ages, gender, sexuality, origin, and culture, we always stand committed to providing support services to victims of r**e and sexual assault. OUR VISION
A just, safe, and empowered society that promotes social and equal opportunities for all. OUR MISSION
Responding to and empowering communities to create local solutions to prevent SGBV while working with and supporting survivors with care, healing, safety, and dignity. OUR CENTRES:
Rainbo Initiative through the Rainbo Centres is committed to saving lives and making a difference in survivors' lives. Anyone, MALE or FEMALE, can come to our Rainbo Centres for help if they suffer from R**E or SEXUAL ASSAULT. Our Centres are safe, friendly and a private place where survivors of sexual and physical assault can get FREE help after an incident of r**e or other kinds of abuse.

💰 THEY SAVED TOGETHER. THEY GREW TOGETHER. 👏What can twenty people, one savings box, and a whole lot of discipline achie...
19/08/2026

💰 THEY SAVED TOGETHER. THEY GREW TOGETHER. 👏

What can twenty people, one savings box, and a whole lot of discipline achieve in a year? Ask the Leicester Road VSLA.

Last month, the group closed out their very first savings cycle, and the results speak for themselves:

✅ Le 27,715 saved as a group
✅ 20 members, active and consistent from day one
✅ Zero social fund, zero fines, just pure commitment
✅ Built on their own contributions, boosted by Le 2,500 in start-up support from Rainbo Initiative

But the real win isn't the total. It's the culture they built, regular saving, easier access to small loans, and real support for household and business needs, from a group that showed up for each other, all year long.

“I am grateful for this opportunity and for the Initiative that brought us such support...” — Rugiatu Kamara, Leicester Road VSLA member

From Leicester Road to Grafton and beyond, this is what Rainbo Initiative's Irish Aid-supported VSLA programme looks like in action across Freetown, Kono, Kenema, and Bo.

Cycle two? Let's go. 👏

Every 10 Minutes. Every Life Matters.According to the United Nations, every 10 minutes, a woman or girl is killed by an ...
17/08/2026

Every 10 Minutes. Every Life Matters.

According to the United Nations, every 10 minutes, a woman or girl is killed by an intimate partner or family member.

In Sierra Leone, this crisis is reflected in the thousands of survivors seeking support at Rainbo Centres, and those who never reach help.

Our 2025 SGBV Incident Data Report documented 3,055 cases of abuse, a 10% increase from 2024.

• 2,723 sexual assault cases
• 99% of survivors were female

Behind every statistic is a person whose rights, dignity and future matter.

At Rainbo Initiative, we turn evidence into action, strengthening survivor-centred services, advocacy and systems for prevention, protection and justice.

Every number represents a life. Every life deserves protection.

On Friday, August 7, 2026, Rainbo Initiative's Board of Directors came together to take stock of the second quarter of t...
10/08/2026

On Friday, August 7, 2026, Rainbo Initiative's Board of Directors came together to take stock of the second quarter of the year and to chart the road ahead.

Two milestones stood out: the green light to advance the Rainbo Global Institute of Mental Health & Wellbeing, and continued progress on the Rainbo Centre of Excellence, our vision for a lasting home for survivor-centred care, research and training. Alongside these, the Board reviewed our quarterly performance, reaffirmed our push toward stronger digital systems, and called for new, sustainable ways to fund our work as the global landscape shifts.

For survivors and communities, these decisions reach far beyond the boardroom. A dedicated Institute for mental health means better-trained responders and deeper healing support. A Centre of Excellence means a lasting, purpose-built home for survivor-centred care, research and training. And a more digital, more diversified Rainbo means our services keep reaching survivors, across our centres nationwide and into Liberia and Guinea, no matter how the funding landscape shifts.

Because every Board meeting is a step toward tomorrow: survivor-centred, accountable, built to last.

🤝 Coordinating for a stronger SGBV responseRainbo Initiative yesterday held a coordination meeting with One-Stop Centre ...
06/08/2026

🤝 Coordinating for a stronger SGBV response

Rainbo Initiative yesterday held a coordination meeting with One-Stop Centre Managers from the Ministry of Gender and Children's Affairs (MoGCA), an important step in strengthening how we work together.

Key discussion points:
🔹 Operational challenges affecting sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) response services
🔹 Ways to deepen collaboration between our teams
🔹 Rainbo Initiative's role under the EU/UN Spotlight Initiative Project
🔹 The draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Rainbo Initiative and MoGCA

Stronger coordination means better, faster support for survivors across Sierra Leone. 💜

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” - Article 1, Universal Declaration of Human RightsThat...
03/08/2026

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” - Article 1, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

That dignity is what every survivor deserves: safety, care, and freedom from fear or stigma. 🧡

Through our nine Rainbo Centres across Sierra Leone, we provide free medical care and psychosocial support to survivors of SGBV, because every survivor deserves to heal in safety, and every community deserves a safer future.

I joined Rainbo Initiative in 2017 as a midwife at the Kenema Centre. As a woman and a mother, I felt called to support ...
20/07/2026

I joined Rainbo Initiative in 2017 as a midwife at the Kenema Centre. As a woman and a mother, I felt called to support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Working closely with survivors opened my eyes to the pain they endure and the incredible courage it takes to seek help.

This work requires more than professional skills; it requires compassion, empathy, and a genuine love for humanity. There are days when I leave work carrying the weight of the stories I have heard. As service providers, we must remain strong for survivors, even when we are hurting inside.

“You cannot do this work without compassion. Every survivor who finds the courage to seek help reminds me that even in the darkest moments, hope can be restored through kindness, empathy, and timely care.”

One case involving a very young child profoundly shaped my journey. It strengthened my resolve to ensure every survivor receives timely care, protection, and the dignity they deserve.

Today, as GBV Response Supervisor at the Kenema Rainbo Centre, I continue to support survivors by strengthening our medical response, mentoring staff, and ensuring quality, survivor-centred care. Every survivor who begins to heal reminds me why this work matters.

My message to communities is simple: believe survivors, support them without judgment, and never hide or compromise cases of sexual and gender-based violence. Rainbo Initiative's services are free and confidential, and together we can break the silence, restore hope, and build safer communities for everyone.

Last week, our Executive Director - Daniel Kettor, Head of Finance - Fatmata Bintu Koroma, and Research, Monitoring & Ev...
17/07/2026

Last week, our Executive Director - Daniel Kettor, Head of Finance - Fatmata Bintu Koroma, and Research, Monitoring & Evaluation Manager - Mark Bawoh, participated in a four-day training on Integrated Financial, Project and Donor-Funded Programme Management, Monitoring and Evaluation in Kigali, Rwanda.

The training organized by Magna Skills strengthened our team's capacity in donor compliance, project planning and ex*****on, resource and staff mobilisation, and stakeholder engagement, all of which are central to how we manage the projects that support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence across Sierra Leone.

Stronger systems mean stronger accountability, stronger partnerships, and better outcomes for the communities we serve. 💛

I was 14, living in a village in Bonthe District, when everything changed. At the start of the school term in January 20...
15/07/2026

I was 14, living in a village in Bonthe District, when everything changed. At the start of the school term in January 2026, I stopped attending classes. An older man in my community had set his sights on forcing me into marriage with him, and people later said he had used juju to keep my mind off school. I didn't fully understand what was happening at the time; I only knew something was pulling me away from my education and the people who could help me. I was staying with a family friend while my own family tried to work out how to protect me, the kind of situation where harmful beliefs and practices can leave a girl even more exposed, especially when help doesn't arrive quickly.

In May 2026, people who work to protect children in my area heard about what was happening to me. Rainbo Initiative and government child welfare services stepped in together, and the Family Support Unit began investigating. The man was arrested. I was referred to the One Stop Centre for a medical examination, and the case moved forward with the police. Once everything was resolved, I was reunited with my parents and guardian, and I finally felt safe again.

Being back with my family gave me the support I needed, and after months away, I was finally able to return to school.

“Continuing my education means everything to me; it's one of the things that keeps me safest going forward. My family and I are happy again, and I'm grateful that when people noticed something was wrong, they acted quickly instead of staying silent.”

“When I saw her losing interest in school and feared for her safety, I raised it so the right people could act together. I'm relieved and grateful to see her back in class and safe with her family,” says the family friend who looked after me during that time. My father adds, “I thank everyone who helped my daughter. We were worried and did not know what to do. Now she is home and attending school again; this brings us great relief.”

My story shows what can happen when people notice a child in danger and act quickly and together, without looking away.

13/07/2026

🧠💙 Healing starts with being heard.
Surviving SGBV affects more than physical safety, it impacts mental health too, fear, anxiety, trauma, stress.

At Rainbo Initiative, you are not alone. Our Tele-Counselling Service offers free, confidential, survivor-centred support to help you heal.

📞 Call 599 anytime to speak with a trained counsellor. Your voice matters. 🤝✨

📱 Violence against women and girls doesn't stop at the screen.Across Sierra Leone, the internet has become a new frontli...
07/07/2026

📱 Violence against women and girls doesn't stop at the screen.

Across Sierra Leone, the internet has become a new frontline for harassment, abuse, and surveillance, yet digital violence still isn't treated with the seriousness it deserves.

At Rainbo Initiative, we believe every woman and girl deserves to feel safe in every space:
🟠 In her home
🟠 On the streets
🟠 Online

Abuse online has real-world consequences. It silences survivors, forces them offline, and leaves them living in fear.

It's time to treat digital spaces as real spaces, and hold perpetrators accountable, wherever the violence happens.

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, Rainbo Initiative is here. Reach out to your nearest Rainbo Centre, you're not alone.

Address

4 Williams Drive, SS Camp/IMATT
Freetown

Opening Hours

Monday 08:30 - 17:00
Tuesday 08:30 - 17:00
Wednesday 08:30 - 17:00
Thursday 08:30 - 17:00
Friday 08:30 - 17:00

Telephone

+23279630793

Website

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