YMCA Sierra Leone - That they all may be one

The Sierra Leone chapter of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) was established in 1912. Our core competences include providing opportunities that enhances the holistic development of youths physically, through the mind and spiritually.

The YMCA's stated mission is to promote the development and growth of young people, through:

• Civic education including human rights and peace education;
• Sports and recreation; 
• Health like HIV and AIDS awareness raising programmes;
• Technical and vocational education; 
• Gender awareness raising initiatives
  

In pursuit of its mission, YMCA collaborates with institutions or organizations that share similar aims and objectives and with women and young people as their primary constituency. The YMCA's vision is to help build stronger communities to enhance self-reliance and sustainability for five years (2003-2008)

Our Values on project and programme implementation:

• Our credibility lies in making astute strategic interventions for the promotion and welfare of women and young people;
• The YMCA-SL is selective in the nature and number of projects it seeks to take on for implementing;
• YMCA-SL puts premium on adding value to existing projects rather than churning out projects for projects' sake. 
• The YMCA-SL seeks for partnership or funding only where its staff and volunteers form a consensus that the best results for its beneficiaries will be achieved; 
• In the same vein, the YMCA is tolerant as to how its staff and volunteers can best improve the overall long-term capacity of women and young people in Sierra Leone;
  

In pursuance of its strategic thinking, the YMCA-SL reconstituted a strong team of professional staff in 2005 with background and experiences in environmental issues, development, peace, agriculture, economics, education and accounting. The staff takes the lead in seeking solutions to the most imperative and urgent need of children, women and young people.