Sierra Leone :: Part 2 :: The Reason

So why the heck did I go to Sierra Leone?! And why didn't many people know anything about the trip?

Well, it was a bit of a quickly planned trip, actually there was barely enough time to get the necessary shots. As for why, it was a visioning trip to help determine the needs of a children's home. My travel partner was Nolan Watson of Nation's Cry. I acted as the second pair of eyes as we attempted to determine the needs of International D.O.V.E. on behalf of Nation's Cry.

D.O.V.E. has been operating in Sierra Leone for nearly 20 years enduring the entire period including the various wars and coups that the country experienced. D.O.V.E.'s initial operations consisted of a foster program "Up Country" Sierra Leone. Working with the S.L. Ministry of Social Welfare D.O.V.E. cares for 44 children who have been placed with foster parents and those with the greatest need have been brought to the Village of Hope. D.O.V.E.'s Village of Hope is situated near the town of Regent on the outskirts of Sierra Leone's capital city of Freetown. The village is situated on a 12 acre plot of land which includes numerous fruits and vegatables. The village currently houses 23 children and as increased funding permits that number may grow.

At D.O.V.E.'s Village of Hope the children "have these things provided for them: Food, clothing, medicine, education, and all their practical needs. The goal is to provide them with a warm, loving home and family so that they become well educated, well adjusted young adults who can further their education and eventually become an asset to their own country by using their skills and training to bring better living conditions for their own people. We know that not all the children will return to help their country but DOVE's goal is to give each of them a chance at life that they would not have had otherwise."

Despite these noble goals, D.O.V.E. International has remained quite underfunded. This is especially surprising given the fact that Nolan Watson, CA, CFA, has gone through every Canadian Charity registered with the CRA to determine which had the least amount of administrative waste. D.O.V.E. was that charity.

SL Update :: Part 1