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The World Rehabilitation Fund’s Socio-Economic Rehabilitation
Initiative for War-Affected Women in Sierra Leone is one of 47
winning projects from 27 countries that received grants totaling
US $6 million in seed money to fund creative ideas for tackling
local development challenges. The awards were announced at the
2003 World Bank Development Marketplace (DM) Global Competition
held at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, December 3-4,
2003.
Selected from more than 2,700 applicants, this year’s DM
winners represent innovative approaches to alleviating poverty.
This prestigious award and $126,000 grant will enable WRF and
its partner, the Forum of African Women Educationalists (FAWE),
to replicate its successful pilot project in Makeni, Sierra Leone.
About the Project
Since the pilot program’s inception in October 2000, WRF’s
initiative has provided culturally attuned, psychosocial support,
coupled with vocational training and microenterprise development
in: child care and crèche management; fish salting and
marketing; and tailoring for 340 war-affected women in Freetown,
Bo and Bonthe . The UNDP and the Government of Sweden (Sida) funded
the pilot project—October 2000 to December 2002—and
the American Jewish World Service (AJWS) is currently supporting
the microenterprise phase, whereby 274 graduates have established
microenterprises and more than 30 have obtained jobs in the formal
sector (e.g., preschools, tailoring shops).
With the DM grant, WRF aims to build on its successful pilot project
and expand its socio-economic rehabilitation program to Makeni,
a newly accessible, war-devastated region After ten years of brutal
conflict, attention must be paid to most vulnerable populations,
including the thousands of women who were sexually abused, raped
and abducted during the war. By providing community-based psychosocial
services, vocational training and micro-enterprise development
for 200 war-affected women in Makeni, WRF and FAWE will address
the multiple needs of these underserved women and their families,
as well as develop sustainable linkages with local stakeholders,
provide a replicable model for socio-economic rehabilitation and
advance poverty-alleviation in Sierra Leone.
For more about the World Bank Development Marketplace click
here.
• The World Rehabilitation Fund recently received a grant
from Baxter International Foundation, the philanthropic arm of
Baxter International Inc.. We are working in partnership with
Asociacion Dominicana de Rehabilitacion (ADR). The project was
launched at a ceremony in the Dominican Republic on March 1, 2002.
(read
the press release)
• Funds from the Leahy War Victims’ Fund to support
work in Lebanon which include projects in socio-economic reintegration
and in strengthening landmine awareness and the capacity of the
National Demining Office of the country. Some discrete projects
in Lebanon also utilize funds or in-kind contributions from Lebanon
and local governments in that nation.
more
funding > |
