About Sierra Leone YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a global faith based Confederation of 130 National Movements founded in England in 1844. This noble association serves over 40 million youths worldwide from all religious and social backgrounds.
Based on the above, the YMCA was established in Sierra Leone since 1912 on the pretext of designing and providing programmes and services that addresses issues of relevance to the body, Mind and Spiritual Upliftment of our younger people.
Through its existence in Sierra Leone, the YMCA can today boast of a voluntary membership of about 1000 with 30 staff, operating in 24 local communities in Sierra Leone.
This organization has brought together local YMCA branches in order to harness resources, share experiences and face the challenges of our country Sierra Leone as a network. It has also engaged itself in broadest possible cross sections of the communities in identifying, designing implementing and evaluating youth empowerment programmes. This further fits into our vision, which states to empower the youths and communities for Self Reliance within 5 years.
The present social and economic situation of Sierra Leone is one that is totally devastated and been heavily supported by the international community.
The roles and responsibilities of the Sierra Leone YMCA has taken a positive and dynamic turn to the extent that we are now implementing the global operations plan in order for our association to be strengthen come 2008.
The Challenge of the Sierra Leone YMCA is that of the development and implementation of its strategic plan while instituting measures that would see the YMCA and its local branches achieve their goals that have been set out in our strategic plan (2003-2008).
The Sierra Leone YMCA has its headquarters in Freetown with the National General Secretary as the head and 30 staff, 20 of whom are professionals and 10 supporting staff. Its operations are overseen and supervise by the National Executive committee that meets quarterly. The National executive committee is composed of 30% youths and women, hence a fair representation of those we are working with at decision-making level.
Existing Partners/Funders
- Y Care International - UK;
- Comic Relief - UK;
- CVJM - West Bund, Germany;
- YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka;
- SHARP/NAS - Sierra Leone;
- Ministry of Education - Sierra Leone
Our Mission
The YMCA's mission has been "the extension of God's Kingdom in obedience to His command and to live a life as exemplified by the teachings of Jesus Christ". The critical element in the Sierra Leone YMCAs mission statement that impacts on the YMCAs programmes and activities in Sierra Leone is the challenge:" To promote self-reliance and sustainability, capacity building, good governance, advocacy and networking, youth and women empowerment in our communities through programmes that develops the body, mind and spirit of all."
Our Approach
This organisation has brought together local YMCA branches in order to harness resources share experiences and face the challenges of our country Sierra Leone as a unified network.The YMCA in Sierra Leone has worked in youth education and grassroots development for more decades. We have been able to engage ourselves in the broadest possible cross sections of the communities to participate in the identification, design and management of community-based programmes. As a strong voluntary organisation, the YMCA places strong emphasis on transparent governance, democratic leadership and inclusion of youths and women in decision-making.
Our Reach
At present, the Sierra Leone YMCA serves thousands of beneficiaries each year. The majority of these individuals are youth and women from low-income families and communities. As an indigenous NGO, the YMCA offers unique institutional development and programme collaboration opportunities across national, religious and ethnic boundaries. We are the only Local youth movement with 23 Local branches located all the communities in Sierra Leone. Through our programmes and facilities, we are in touch with the youth of Sierra Leone and their problems virtually on a daily basis. Our branches have both a rural and urban presence, which ensures that we have a pulse on the entire youth population in the country. This is what makes us strategically positioned in Sierra Leone.Our ability to meet tasks with resources is evident from our levels of investment. The Sierra Leone YMCA is probably the most endowed voluntary organisation in the country in terms of institutional infrastructure. From our institutional investments in the form of hostels, restaurants and other recreational facilities, we have a fairly high level of financial independence. This allows us to pursue programme interventions with greater potential for sustainability.
Our Strategy
Our recent strategic plan (2003-2008) within which lies the Road map marks a major paradigm shift in our approach from relief to development work in Sierra Leone. The plan is a response to the multiple transitions taking place in our country Sierra Leone after the War in the areas of governance service delivery, business and industry, and in social structures. It is an attempt at organizing our resources to respond to the summons of change with competence and authority. The plan was developed in a bottom-up process that involved the Local Branches.The strategic plan looks at these components of institutional development Long term (Five Years) and medium term, Road Map (One-Year) period. Our major focus id therefore on the strategic goal and Objectives and the impact the outcomes of the process will deliver.
Our Programm Strategy
Our major focus on programmes come from the mandate we had after the needs assessment survey that we undertook in 2002.Findings from these survey mandates us to focus our programmes on the following areas:- HIV/Aids
- Peace Building
- Human Rights and Justices
- Civic Education
- Skills and Vocational Training
- Computer and information Technology
- Advocacy.
Youth Entrepreneurship
These programmes will be developed in dwindling response to post war Situation of our country, Sierra Leone.top >>>