Before 2003, the organisation depended largely on individual donations from friends in Denmark. Such giving increased with the formation of the Denmark-Sierra Leone Friendship Association in 2003. However, this still meant that all staff worked in a voluntary capacity.

In 2004 the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) agreed to fund the Mutual Farming for Peace Building and Reconciliation pilot project, and subsequently extended its grant until the end of 2007.

In 2005 Cordaid (Dutch Catholic Agency) provided funds for the initial phase (one year) of the Moral Foundations for Democracy programme. Additional financial support on an ad hoc basis has come from IofC national bodies and individuals in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, UK and USA. The Dutch Embassy in Senegal funded the Second Training of Trainers Course in 2008.

Feeding marginalized youth at Kissy Ferry Terminal, Freetown

In 2007, when crucial presidential and parliamentary elections took place, UNDP (Sierra Leone) funded four 3-day Dialogues as part of the Clean Elections Campaign and the continuous engagement of major stakeholders, including paramount chiefs, councillors and women’s groups etc, to promote free, fair and violence-free elections; and also H-SL’s month-long campaign ‘Save Mama Salone’ following post-elections violence.

DANIDA is funding the 18-month Media and Governance Campaign that started in April 2008.

While the funding of these significant projects is very welcome, they are time-bound and insufficient to meet the overall monthly running costs of all departments of an expanding organisation. In a poverty-stricken country people cannot work for long as volunteers. The Friendship Association is doing its best to pay modest salaries to key staff on a monthly basis, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to cover all the overheads such as office rent, stationery, mobile phone cards, vehicle maintenance (and replacement), internet services etc.

Donate by emailing Torsten Hvidt, Treasurer, Friendship Association

For further information see Hope-Sierra Leone website