Sierra Leone

Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDHR)
$35,000*
To enhance the promotion and protection of human rights in northern Sierra Leone. CDHR will work to popularize the concepts and principles of local government, decentralization, and the Local Government Act and promote the defense of basic human rights principles by district and traditional leaders. CDHR will also host conferences, workshops, and village meetings on principles of local governance in Sierra Leone.

Forum for Democratic Initiatives (FORDI)
$30,780
To promote public policy discourse and increase the awareness of democratic principles among Sierra Leoneans. FORDI will conduct workshops to train civil society in advocacy, newspaper production, and the creation of a website. The workshops will establish networks for advocacy on decentralization and local government process, privatization of state enterprises, law reform, and public accountability.

Media Foundation for Peace and Development (MFPD)
$30,000*
To provide news, information, and civic education to rural communities; to train journalists and leaders in democratic principles; and to aid the rural populace in making informed political decisions. MFPD will produce a live radio discussion program called Democracy Now focusing on district council governance and parliamentary proceedings. MFPD will organize workshops on the role of the media in a democracy as well as on ethics in the media.

National Accountability Group distributed these posters to increase awareness among religious leaders of corruption in Sierra Leone.

National Accountability Group (NAG)
$44,798
To increase awareness among religious leaders of corruption and to increase accountability and transparency in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. NAG will organize training workshop for regional Muslim and Christian leaders on the effects of corruption. NAG will also hold focus group meetings in each country, produce radio programs, and distribute posters promoting accountability and transparency through religious texts.

National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
$146,384
To foster channels for regular and effective communication between members of parliament, local councilors, and citizens on community needs and concerns and government activities. NDI will organize town hall meetings to create dialogue between representatives and constituents and will also provide support for follow-up activities that promote cooperative working relationships at both the local and national levels of government.

Sierra Leone Youths in Crisis Center (SLYICC)
$23,540*
To promote civic participation and support civil society monitoring of district councils in southeastern Sierra Leone. The Center will organize policy talks and train civil society and traditional leaders on participatory governance. The Center will also establish a resource center in Kenema to provide research support to town councilors and local civil society organizations.