YMCA International Committee Visits Sierra Leone

Sep 30, 2009 | Category: General

YMCA board members Rick Wishcamper and Chris Siegler along with CEO David Ports traveled to Sierra Leone in September and returned inspired by the vision and commitment of YMCA members throughout the West African nation.

Strengthening a five-year partnership with the YMCA of Sierra Leone, the trio traveled throughout the country visiting YMCA branches and projects in Freetown, Bo, Kenema and Makeni. The purpose of the visit was to deepen the partnership through personal interactions with the staff and volunteers of the YMCA of Sierra Leone, to develop a better understanding of the culture and people of Sierra Leone and the work the YMCA is doing there, to identify new opportunities for sharing skills and knowledge, and to visit the Makeni branch where the Missoula Family YMCA is focusing its current support efforts. (The Missoula Family YMCA first initiated this partnership back in 2004, supporting the YMCA in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone.)

It was an extraordinary experience for all three travelers, but especially so for Ports. While both Chris and Rick have previously traveled throughout Africa and lived there (Rick in Kenya, Chris in Sierra Leone), it was David’s first visit. And it showed.

“I was overwhelmed at first by the chaos and mass of humanity in Freetown,” David said. “But that was quickly forgotten as we toured project sites and met YMCA volunteers and staff who befriended us and shared their passion for the work they do to improve the lives of young people in Sierra Leone.”

Among many high points of the trip were tours of two slum projects in neighborhoods of Freetown, where the YMCA is coordinating local, community-based efforts to develop communal voices. The YMCA’s immediate goals are to help develop community solutions to critical shortages of potable water and functioning roads in the Dworzak neighborhood, and to reduce rampant flooding and threat of relocation in the Kroo Bay neighborhood.

A two-and-a-half-day visit to Makeni, home of the newest provisional branch of the YMCA, was also truly inspirational. There, the Missoula delegation participated in the first day of a joint YMCA/European Union Vocational–Technical school for 75 young adults. These new students were selected from more than 200 candidates, all of whom shared a common background as orphans, child warriors, prostitutes and/or living with HIV-positive status. The students’ commitment to developing skills to help them support themselves and their families was evident as they prepared for the school’s one-year commitment. The Makeni school is the Sierra Leone YMCA’s fourth such program, its first operates in Freetown. Currently, the YMCA rents a small house near the center of Makeni and collaborates with a local Catholic university to provide programs and services to young people. YMCA leaders are looking to purchase land on which to build a community center that would house programs serving a larger segment of the community. The goal is to reach out to the many young adults (ages 18-35) impacted by a 12-year civil war and to help them develop the skills they need as the emerging leaders of Sierra Leone. With skills and support, these young people could help lead their communities out of poverty and war and their nation toward thriving self-sufficiency.

While in Makeni, the Missoula trio met with local YMCA volunteers to discuss their vision of service and their goals, and ways the Missoula YMCA could help. And, they played soccer in the pouring rain (David’s team won), were guests on the national radio program “Radio Maria” and attended several meetings and celebrations in their honor.

Returning to Freetown, the group met with key volunteers of the YMCA of Sierra Leone and pledged support for the partnership between the YMCAs.

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