Annual Shoe Campaign 

Our core initiative involves supplying shoes to schoolchildren in rural areas on an annual basis. This program stemmed from careful observations of the challenges faced by these students, particularly in remote villages. Many of these pupils trek 2-3 miles to school wearing worn-out shoes, flip-flops, or even going barefoot because their parents, who are mostly small-scale farmers and fishermen, cannot afford proper school attire. Through local contributions, we supply over 400 shoes annually to underprivileged children in various rural communities across Sierra Leone. Our aim is for these shoes to serve as a source of encouragement, inspiring these kids to develop a love for education and remain in school. Your generous donation will enable us to provide more shoes to these deserving schoolchildren in rural areas. Please consider supporting us at https://bit.ly/donate-ctlad 

Mentoring Groups (Youths Development Project)

Another of our key initiatives involves the establishment of mentoring groups for boys and girls across various communities in Freetown (Morthaim, Tengbeh Town, Kaningo, Grafton, Syke Street, Lewis Street, Bathurst village) and in different provinces (Kamakwie, Kamawornie village, Gbomsamba, and Makeni) within Sierra Leone. These groups aim to equip our mentees with the skills to tackle the challenges they encounter in their schools, communities, and homes, empowering them to make well-informed decisions. These mentoring sessions, held either weekly or bi-monthly, delve into essential topics essential for comprehensive growth and development. These include acquiring skills, readiness for careers and jobs, health education, nurturing leadership abilities, prioritizing mental health, and fostering personal growth. Additionally, we prioritize the well-being of our beneficiaries by providing monthly supplies of sanitary pads to adolescent girls and facilitating inclusive dialogues on sex education.

Educational Support

The Centre for Transformational and Leadership Development (CTLaD) extends educational assistance to underprivileged youth in rural communities and members of our mentoring groups. This support encompasses essential school supplies like pens, pencils, books, crayons, erasers, shoes, bags, and past question papers specifically aimed at aiding students preparing for national examinations (N.P.S.E, B.E.C.E & W.AS.S.C.E), enabling them to better equip themselves for their studies.

Menstrual Hygiene Awareness

Promoting menstrual health and hygiene is crucial for the well-being and empowerment of women and adolescent girls. Globally, over 300 million women menstruate daily, yet approximately 500 million lack access to proper menstrual hygiene management (MHM). At CTLaD, we actively raise awareness about maintaining hygienic menstrual practices and fostering positive attitudes toward menstruation. Through education and awareness initiatives, we address the need for knowledge and understanding among women and girls, enabling them to comprehend their bodies better, adopt effective and hygienic practices, and dispel harmful myths or taboos surrounding menstruation.

COMPUTER LITERACY FOR EMERGING YOUNG LEADERS

CTLaD supports budding young leaders through computer education scholarships. These individuals are enrolled in computer schools where they receive comprehensive training in fundamental computer skills, including Microsoft Office applications, hardware, software operations, and internet usage, facilitating their research and academic pursuits.

Additionally, our program extends to specialized computer education initiatives such as 'African Girls Coding.' This project introduces talented young girls to the world of computing, allowing them to express their creativity through animations using JavaScript. These animations include engaging themes like dance parties, Frozen Fever, and more. Through this coding language, participants learn to translate ideas, solutions, and instructions into computer-understandable language. Upon successful completion of these courses, students receive certificates that significantly enhance their prospects for employment within the Information Technology sector.

Parent-Children dialogue

The Parent-Children dialogue session serves as a platform for both beneficiaries and parents within our mentoring groups to openly discuss issues that impact them. This includes addressing the positive and negative effects of children's educational outcomes due to parental efforts. 

During these sessions, we attentively listen to the concerns raised by both parties and collaborate to find viable solutions that benefit both the children and their parents. This approach aims to foster a better understanding between parents and beneficiaries while identifying ways to support the children's educational journey effectively.