Child Sponsorship background from Makeni, Sierra Leone

SOS Children's Village Makeni

SOS Children's Villages in Sierra Leone, a long-term partner of the national government, was  approached by the authorities already during the war years in 1996, with the request to extend its activities and to establish a third village. After thoroughly studying different sites the provincial town Makeni, situated in the Bomabil District of the Northern Province of Sierra Leone, about a hundred and sixty kilometres from Freetown, was chosen as the new location. In 2007, the SOS Children's Village Makeni including an SOS Nursery and an SOS Primary School started to operate.

The SOS Children's Village is located at the Makama village which is about forty kilometres from the centre of Makeni. It occupies a land of about 10.2 acres which was donated by the local authorities.

The SOS Children's Village Makeni comprises twelve family houses, a staff quarter, and a guest house.

Other SOS Projects in Makeni

There is also an SOS Nursery, and an SOS Primary School at the site.

Background to Makeni

Makeni is a historical town from medieval times and was founded by the Temne tribe. Currently, it has a total population of a hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants, of which more than 60 % are children below the age of 14. People mainly live from subsistence agriculture, small trading activities and diamond exploitation.

During the war Makeni was a centre for rebels and the war left a lot of children/youths behind: street children, child soldiers, abducted girls with babies, etc. Several NGOs currently provide nutritional and basic health programmes.