Nestled in Up Quarry, Sima Town, Rokel, in Freetown, HEWILSY Feed the Lost and Save Life – SL was established on October 3, 2021, by a Sierra Leonean committed to transforming the lives of women, girls, boys, and vulnerable youth. Born amidst rampant teenage pregnancy, early marriage, school dropout, homelessness, and sexual and gender-based violence, HEWILSY came into existence to champion holistic change.
🔍 A Vision for Transformation
At its core, HEWILSY envisions “Transforming lives, strengthening the capacity of disadvantaged children, girls, boys, and women, and advocating for their empowerment.” The organization operates with a clear mission: to uplift communities through advocacy, education access, vocational training, counselling, and social services.
🎯 Focus Areas Making a Real Impact
HEWILSY addresses critical issues through strategic thematic pillars:
- Advocacy & Lobby: Influencing policy, empowering women’s voices, and pushing systemic reforms
- Capacity Building in Counselling: Equipping local counselors with tailored tools for trauma-informed psychosocial support
- Media Campaigns & Community Engagement: Leveraging local radio, town halls, and sensitization sessions to change norms
- Vocational Training: Collaborating with partners like HVDO‑SL to train youth and sex workers in skills like tailoring, hairdressing, computing, and gabardine tie‑dying
- Child Protection & Gender Inclusion: Fostering environments where girls stay in school and gender-based violence is addressed
These approaches reflect best practices from organizations like WAADO, WOHSL, WAVES‑SL, and others making headway in women’s empowerment across Sierra Leone waves.slpeaceinsight.org+1accessiblehope.org+1.
📈 Impact in Action
Since its inception, HEWILSY has:
- Supported young girls at risk of dropping out through scholarship and mentorship programs
- Offered counselling and referral support to survivors of early marriage or sexual abuse
- Trained community volunteers—especially women and youth—in vocational skills that generate economic independence
- Carried out community sensitization events and public awareness campaigns about girls’ education and gender-based violence
By focusing on grassroots delivery and partnership, HEWILSY has grown influence in local communities and begun to spark sustainable change.
🕊️ Governance & Structure
- Leadership Team: Guided by an Advisory Board, Chief Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director, Secretary General, PRO, Organizing Secretary, and Finance Director
- Board of Advisors: Meeting monthly, the board oversees ethical conduct, policy alignment, funding strategies, and performance of HEWILSY initiatives
This structured governance ensures accountability, strategic direction, and integrity in program delivery.
🏆 Why HEWILSY Matters
- Localized, Holistic Solutions – Rooted in Freetown and nearby communities, HEWILSY addresses local pain points using culturally attuned strategies.
- Intersectional Approach – By addressing education, counselling, vocational training, and advocacy, the organization supports vulnerable populations comprehensively.
- Innovation Through Collaboration – Partnerships with local actors like HVDO‑SL and alignment with established NGOs amplify impact and credibility.
- Future-Focused Empowerment – HEWILSY creates pathways for self-reliance, whether through enterprise skills or access to policy advocacy forums.
🌍 In a Broader Context
Across Sierra Leone, organizations such as WAVES‑SL, Women of Hope Sierra Leone, and WAADO have pioneered initiatives in gender-based violence response, livelihood support, and community advocacy accessiblehope.org. HEWILSY stands among these as an emerging champion, explicitly guided by values of inclusivity, accountability, and rights-based development.
🌱 Looking Forward
Over the coming years, HEWILSY aims to:
- Expand vocational training beyond Freetown
- Strengthen partnerships at regional and national levels to lobby for gender-related reforms
- Deepen counselling services for survivors and vulnerable youth
- Mobilize youth, sex workers, and community champions into influential networks for sustained social change
✨ Final Reflections
HEWILSY Feed the Lost and Save Life – SL is carving a transformative path in Sierra Leone—one that marries advocacy, education, counselling, and economic empowerment into a cohesive, community-rooted force of change.