Makeni

It was in Makeni, Sierra Leone’s third largest city, that our work was born. The project was created to make an impact upon the prevalence of street children that had been forced from their urban homes or had migrated towards the city from the surrounding rural areas.

In recent years, Makeni has seen a dramatic rise in Commercial Sex Workers (CSWs) attracted by a notable increase of affluence in the city, which has become the base for a number of international companies engaged in mining and agriculture.

There are two Street Child centres in Makeni, which has also served as the centre of our operations since 2008. We work with 120 children every year – 60 boys and 60 girls divided between the two centres – offering them regular meals, clothing and medical facilities in a safe environment away from the streets. The centres also serve as a base for the children to receive counselling whilst educational opportunities are secured and their families are traced ahead of reunification.

Makeni is also the home of Street Child Commercial’s flagship bar and restaurant. Since it’s opening in May 2010, The Clubhouse has become one of the city’s most popular venues. It acts not only as an source of in-country funding for our projects but also as a place where customers can learn about our work.