The Sierra Leone Team - Help A Needy Child in Sierra Leone (HANCi-SL)
Almost all our work is delivered in collaboration with a national partner organisation, Help a Needy Child in Sierra Leone (HANCi-SL). HANCi are entirely responsible for the operational delivery of all our major projects.
Founded as a volunteer network at the height of the civil war in 1994, they have variously cared for war-orphans, re-integrated child-soldiers, destitute families at risk of collapse, teenage mothers - and street children.
To learn more about the history, track-record & capacity of HANCi click here
They were selected on 2 key grounds:
1. Amazing performance
The success of HANCi<92>s work (and with street-children in particular) is immediately evident on the ground, documented internally, attested to by community leaders and most importantly the children they work with. In 2008 their work was recognised by UNICEF who contracted HANCi to execute a complicated child re-integration project in South Sierra Leone.
Above all, from the top downwards, the depth of the commitment to improving the lives of the children in its care is breath-taking.
2. Integrity
HANCi<92>s key existing partners, hugely respected UK organisations; & KPMG Sierra-Leone who generously hold HANCi as a pro-bono audit client; have rigorously monitored and audited HANCi<92>s work without fault for years.
Again, our observations in 2008 gave no basis for anything other than absolute confidence in HANCi<92>s integrity.
HANCi operate the project on a day-to-day level in Sierra Leone.
Dialogue between SCoSL & HANCi is ongoing throughout the project - with several contacts a week typically. In particular:
Click here to read the Deputy Chief of Makeni discussing HANCi-SL
Who are HANCi?
HANCi are a highly-respected, professional national NGO with an amazing track-record of caring for highly vulnerable children in Sierra Leone.Founded as a volunteer network at the height of the civil war in 1994, they have variously cared for war-orphans, re-integrated child-soldiers, destitute families at risk of collapse, teenage mothers - and street children.
To learn more about the history, track-record & capacity of HANCi click here
Why HANCi?
In 2008 our Director spent six weeks in Sierra Leone across three assessment trips before confirming our partnership with HANCi.They were selected on 2 key grounds:
1. Amazing performance
The success of HANCi<92>s work (and with street-children in particular) is immediately evident on the ground, documented internally, attested to by community leaders and most importantly the children they work with. In 2008 their work was recognised by UNICEF who contracted HANCi to execute a complicated child re-integration project in South Sierra Leone.
Above all, from the top downwards, the depth of the commitment to improving the lives of the children in its care is breath-taking.
2. Integrity
HANCi<92>s key existing partners, hugely respected UK organisations; & KPMG Sierra-Leone who generously hold HANCi as a pro-bono audit client; have rigorously monitored and audited HANCi<92>s work without fault for years.
Again, our observations in 2008 gave no basis for anything other than absolute confidence in HANCi<92>s integrity.
HANCi & SCoSL.
HANCi and SCoSL clearly agree project objectives, activities and budget at the outset of a project - resulting in the creation of a mutually agreed project document (click here for the core document governing Street Child Makeni).HANCi operate the project on a day-to-day level in Sierra Leone.
Dialogue between SCoSL & HANCi is ongoing throughout the project - with several contacts a week typically. In particular:
- HANCi consult and seek approval from SCoSL on all major decisions for example regarding hiring, significant expenditure, changes to agreed schedules.
- HANCi submit monthly and periodic reports on all news, issues and developments to SCoSL.
- SCoSL regularly visit Sierra Leone to conduct its own monitoring and discuss key planning issues.
Meet some of the team.
Click here to meet some of the individuals SCoSL and HANCi have hired to work with the children in on their Makeni projects. As at Autumn 2010, SCoSL.s staff was almost 40 strong!Click here to read the Deputy Chief of Makeni discussing HANCi-SL
