The Compassion Africa Children’s Village will rescue and rehabilitate children who have been orphaned or are in need. Our village will provide a cohesive, co-operative, organised community in which well behaved and lovingly disciplined children will live in families of 4-6 people at a time. In this village we will provide a multi purpose facility; housing a training centre, skills workshop and after school care facilities. We will also provide a medical centre.

One key to the Children’s Village success will be it’s continuing programme of community consultation and participation. This will enable local people, over a period of time and with the necessary training, to take ownership of the project to guarantee sustainability and longevity.

Tim and Ceri Griffiths, the founders of Compassion Africa, served for 5 years, as relief workers in Sierra Leone. They adopted their son John after his mother died which inspired them to begin this charity. As a result, Compassion Africa has formed strong, trusted partnerships in Sierra Leone. The Compassion Africa Sierra Leone Board is made up of well respected members of the local community, personally known to the founders, that will help to ensure successful delivery of the project and financial accountability.

At this stage in our development, we are in final negotiations for a 7 acre plot of land, identified by the local board as an ideal location (on the outskirts of Freetown) for the Children’s Village. We are aiming to raise £62,000 for the first phase of building. We have already fundraised £20,000 towards this and accumulated a further £25,000, which is set aside, for UK and Sierra Leone running costs during the development of the project.

We believe that our knowledge of the country and established relationships, coupled with a growing varied income portfolio, puts Compassion Africa in good stead to deliver a successful, sustainable, locally managed, life changing project for orphaned children growing up in probably the most difficult circumstances in the world.

Click here to view the Childrens Village page.

‘City of Rest’ – Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre

Moreh Gobeh, a member of our board in Sierra Leone, runs this centre for young men and children who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. As it is a residential programme, the centre provides accommodation along with counselling and biblical teaching.

The centre looks after 40 orphaned and war affected children by providing 3 meals a day and primary education. The children are accommodated within the community through a foster programme.

They also run a Vocational Centre for 35 students. This provides practical training and skills workshops in numerous areas that then lead to potential jobs. The courses include GARA making, tailoring, bricklaying, welding, computer studies and regular classes, for those who have missed schooling as a result of the war. Twenty-six teachers and trainers currently help with education in the centre