Sierra Leone is a beautiful country full of natural resources that have had a tremendous impact on the culture and politics of the country. In the 1930s, diamond mining became a huge commodity. At the onset, the mining was peaceful and legal, but many people became corrupt and it began to plague the country. The illicit trade market grew and became connected to politics and the government, which further divided the country.

In 1991 civil war broke out between the government and the RUF (Revolutionary United Front). Though the UN has stepped in to bring peace, the road to recovery has been slow. Sierra Leone continues to be a dangerous place to live. It has become so poverty stricken and war torn that life there is almost beyond hope.

Many children are orphaned or abandoned. Local churches take children in who have no known family. Many times, the mothers have died in child birth and the father is either unknown or has abandoned the child. Local efforts are challenged to address the issues because they are so great.

Click here to donate to our work in Sierra Leone.

Doves Village of Hope

City: Freetown

This children's village is near the village of Regent on the outskirts of Freetown. We currently have one home with 20 children and run a private school for these children. The home has both full-time and part-time Sierra Leone and Canadian staff. Two hundred miles upcountry we also care for 46 children who remain in foster homes. The children have food, clothing, medicine, education, and all their practical needs provided for them. 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.