Celebrating an historic moment for girls rights in Sierra Leone

When our team met 15-year-old Nasi last year, tears ran down her face as she explained that her family had forced her to marry a much older man, leading her to drop out of school. Sadly, Nasi’s plight is all too common in Sierra Leone, where almost one-third (30%) are married before their 18th birthday and 9% before the age of 15. 

Therefore, the AdAmi team is celebrating the Sierra Leone government's approval of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill 2024 on June 21st. The bill harmonises previous conflicting laws to ensure that 18 is the minimum legal age of marriage and includes strict measures to protect victims and punish perpetrators.

‘This bill is a transformative step for the rights of girls in Sierra Leone,’ says Musa Konneh, Country Director of our local partner MEANS, ‘It is crucial now to ensure that every community understands and respects this law.’

Over the coming months, we will support our local teams in engaging with young mothers and their communities to educate them on the bill so that no other girls like Nasi are forced to pack away their school uniforms and dreams because of early marriage. Together, we will continue to build a brighter future for the girls and young women of Sierra Leone.

Wrapping up another school year

The 2023-2024 school year is nearing an end. Over the past year, 40 of the 130+ young mothers in our programme have been supported to pursue their secondary education, with many now preparing for their end-of-school examinations. Among them is Nancy, a mother of twins who struggled to make ends meet before joining the AdAmi Project. She proudly shares, ‘Look at me and how my situation has changed. You too can achieve your dreams—just believe in yourself and chase them.’

Our five university scholars are also doing well and looking forward to an extended break in July and August.

Business grants creating change 

At a time of soaring inflation and constant price increases in Sierra Leone, the business grants we provide to parents and caregivers are invaluable. These grants help them establish or grow their petty trading businesses, which are often their only source of income for essential costs like food and medicine.

We recently caught up with young mother Janet and her family to learn how their business grant has made a difference.

Janet dreamed of completing her education, but when a man offered to support her schooling in return for a relationship, she reluctantly agreed. After giving birth to her son, he disappeared, leaving her alone as a single mum with little hope of returning to school. Her circumstances changed dramatically when she joined the AdAmi Project. Janet is now a bright secondary school student in Bo.

Janet’s mother received a business grant to grow her petty trading business in return for caring for Janet’s child while she is at school. She used the funds to buy charcoal to sell in her community, saving a portion of the profits every day to reinvest in the business. While their income is still modest, Janet’s mother says they now have more disposable cash for basic items like soap and medicine for her grandson. We are delighted to be able to support hard-working, loving, and supportive families through these grants.

Other news in brief

The team has been busy celebrating various events in recent months, including:

Day of the African Child (June 15th): The team marked this special annual event by coming together to share food, poetry, performances, and music. They took the opportunity to discuss their work, engage with other young people, and celebrate the progress individuals have made.

Menstrual Health Day (May 28th): At their monthly Circle of Confidence event, the young mothers gathered to commemorate Menstrual Health Day. They discussed menstrual health, breaking down taboos, increasing understanding, and sharing tips to improve menstrual health. During the session, the young mothers received sanitary products, which we provide monthly to maintain their health and ensure they can attend school.

Thank you!

On behalf of everyone at the AdAmi Project, a huge thank you for your continued support towards our work. To support our work further, please consider making a donation today.