WHO ARE WE
A community based initiative set up by Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad to act as a bridge builder between the disadvantaged and victims of disaster in Sierra Leone and Africa in the long term
WHAT WE DO
We provide access to rehabilitation, education, training and entrepreneurship. Basically we take off where other charities have left off. We look after the disenfranchised so they don
’t fall below the poverty line. WHY WE ARE
International and humanitarian charities get involved with victims at the initial stage of a disaster but move on to other disasters when the threat is contained. They act as plasters of the wounds of disasters to contain the bleeding. However the plaster is not a long term solution to the wounds sustained by humanitarian disasters. Youth between the ages of 16 and 25 are the most vulnerable because they are not very young and may fall into the gap where they receive little or no care. Having lost their principal bread winners or have gone through traumatic experiences such as surviving the Ebola virus, they need assistance to get back on their feet. Without adequate support they may become homeless and subject to abuse leading them to a life on the street and having to end up in crime to survive. We all know the staggering statistics of what happens to victims of most disasters. We have identified this age group as having the greatest potential for doing great good as the future leaders of industries or causing great havoc as future burdens to our nation. With the right channeling they can become our greatest weapon against poverty or they can become the greatest weapon for mass destruction of our nation
HOW WE WORK
At MFHF we act as the healing balm of the wounds of our society which may have been initiated by a natural or humanitarian disaster. We take up the tasks abandoned by the emergency response charities after they have moved on to other more urgent global humanitarian crisis. We pick up where they have left off and sustain healing and development with the aim of rebuilding and restoration of the nation. We act as the go between for the vulnerable young people, by providing them with access to;
- Medical help (including trauma assessment and care). We provide experienced medical professionals in psychology, psychiatry and general medicine to assess the victims and provide adequate care for their mental and physical wellbeing.
- Educational and vocational training. We provide access to scholarships for further education and vocational training.
-Business and entrepreneurial training including access to a micro loan for the qualified to start their own business venture. We also fund startups which we actively develop for a period of 3 years to ensure sustainability.
-Mentoring
Research has shown that in order for the young to develop the necessary social skills to be effective and excellent in in workplace they need training and guidance. All the education in the world does not prepare our young people to enter the global job market. Basic work ethics and self-discipline that it takes be successful in the global job Market is lacking such as, interview skills, writing a winning CV and working with other people in a professional environment. At MFHF we have utilize the mentoring route to assist the young people to make the transition from student to worker in the most painless and efficient manner. The young people are at the point in their lives where they are still unsure of what they would like to become or what career path they would like to take, they are also less likely to listen to their parents as they believe they are adults themselves and are seeking to exert their new found freedom but they will listen to another person whom they respect and admire. WHY NOW
When the Ebola virus hit Sierra Leone it was not just individuals that were affected. The whole of Sierra Leone was sick, economically, physically and mentally. Sierra Leoneans became isolated and ostracized. The virus affected people irrespective of their tribe, religion, political affiliation or educational status. It showed us that unless we all join together to develop and strengthen our people as a nation, will be affected by the outcome of their lives someday. Disasters happen every day somewhere in the world and the resources and manpower of international charities are stretched to the limit. As Sierra Leoneans we must begin to see ourselves as a whole not as individuals. We want a country where the young grow healthy mentally, physically, financially and emotionally. Initial Project
With this in mind we have developed a mentoring program for young people between the ages of 16 and 25. It is called ‘START WITH ONE’(SWOP). We have targeted this age group because they are the most susceptible to dropping out of education due to personal challenges. As the next generation of leaders, this age group is our best hope for a brighter Sierra Leone. When they succeed we succeed. If they fail we would have failed to impact our next generation of potential doctors, lawyers, sportsmen, entertainers and Business Moguls. I urge you to consider your role as an influencer and join us to help every young person fulfill their dreams and thereby fulfilling the dream of a prosperous Sierra Leone for everyone. Below is a brief description of how we will achieve this;
Recruit high ranking men and women in the society to become mentors.
1. Locate potential mentees who will benefit from their mentorship.
2. Link the two groups together in a safe and secured environment.
3. Ensure that they are gender specific. Gentlemen with boys, Ladies with girls.
4. Offer scholarships to those who have completed one-year mentorship programs (subject to our eligibility criteria; helping the neediest with great potential to succeed)
5. Offer job placements and internships to those who qualify under the mentorship program and create Start-up businesses in every area of life to create job opportunities and help young Sierra Leoneans to own and manage their own companies and therefore their own destinies in the long run.
6. Monitor the progress of each case and re-evaluate the links.
7. Have fund raising events to fund scholarship programs
8. Give the mentees a platform to have a voice to reach out to other potential beneficiaries in schools and colleges.
9. Hold an annual award ceremony to celebrate the mentors and protégés for all their hard work
How we aim to achieve this great task
1. Invite High net worth Sierra Leoneans to patronize the foundation by offering financial assistance and resources.
2. Invite every company employing a minimum of 10 employees to sign up as a shining light organisation committed to offering internships and work experience to our young people and in addition pay a monthly membership fee to the foundation as our organisational partners.
3. Invite experienced professionals in every sphere of our society to sign up as Mentors for our young people to pass on their valuable knowledge and motivation to help a young person succeed.
4. Source funding from the diaspora and international organisation that offer financial assistance in the area of our concern.
5. Engage the international community to source professionals who can offer master classes and medical assistance that will motivate our young people to believe that they valuable members of our society and can achieve great things
6. Partner with other likeminded organisation on ground such as the youth forum in Sierra Leone in order to make this transformation possible.
7. Advocate on behalf of the issues pertaining to the development of young people.
8. Promote and mirror excellence in our service delivery.
9. Refuse no for an answer.
