Building A Brighter Future in Sierra Leone, by Dr Antony Kingsley, CEO 

I am delighted to share the latest updates from Sierra Leone, where your support continues to drive significant improvements in the communities where we work. I have just finished my review visit which offered a valuable opportunity to see firsthand the progress made and to connect with the communities you have helped empower. Here are some highlights of my visit.

Progress on the Ground

Salima Community: clean water and growing confidence In Salima, the community’s commitment to improving hygiene is evident. The well we installed has become a cornerstone for better health, and handwashing stations are a common sight. Residents also proudly showed me their thriving market garden, a symbol of the energy and resourcefulness of local women leading this initiative.

‍

‍

Mogbato Community: a dream come true

Last year, I visited Mogbato, a community where we had not then initiated any projects. An elderly, disabled woman had approached me, requesting a well near her home. This year, I was delighted to meet her again. She was overjoyed to see her request fulfilled, with the village well now in place. Her happiness and gratitude underscored the tangible impacts WellFound is making on individual lives.

‍

‍

Commitment to sustainability

One of my highlights was visiting Motimphe, one of our earliest project sites where we worked in 2018. It was inspiring to see the community maintaining the well in excellent condition. They have introduced a by-law system for use of the well, showcasing a strong commitment to sustainability. This model impressed many of our partners, serving as an exemplary approach to community-driven sustainability.

‍

Ownership and pride

From managing market gardens to maintaining wells, women and youth play a vital role in sustaining these projects. In Mobona, young people are actively involved, with one young man proudly showing me the fence he built to protect the community well. Everywhere I went I saw how ownership of these projects is fostering skills, confidence, and a sense of pride across generations.

Taking the initiative in Kpetewoma

I was pleased to meet Fatmata in Kpetewoma who has featured in previous newsletters. She was instrumental in introducing the WellFound project to her village. On the day I visited, drilling of their new well was underway.
‍

Elsewhere in Kpetewoma, I was delighted to find a great example of taking the initiative. Inspired by WellFound and our approach to community ownership, the villagers had themselves restored a long-abandoned well from 1993 (from a different charity), turning it into a resource for schoolchildren. This success story reflects the growing capacity of villages to manage and sustain water resources independently.

‍

Small Changes, Big Impact

A young girl from Moyibo shared how having easy access to water means she can attend school earlier. This simple improvement is making a meaningful difference for families, demonstrating how clean water can unlock opportunities for education and beyond. In Gbualail, a young man expressed his gratitude, stating that in his 40 years in the village, no one had come to assist them until WellFound arrived. The community exhibited great energy and deep respect for the projects, reflecting their appreciation for the support.

‍
Strengthening Our Partnerships

As well as visiting projects in the field it is important for me to meet our partners and representatives of the authorities. We continue to work closely with trusted partners to expand our impact. My meetings with organizations like Welthungerhilfe, Plan International, UNICEF, the Minister for Health, the Ministry of Youth development and the Ministry of Water Resources have opened new avenues for collaboration, which should bear fruit in the months to come. I was also very pleased to meet the German Ambassador to Sierra Leone who is a strong local supporter and who has funded projects over the previous year.
‍

‍

Looking Ahead

While we celebrate the progress made, challenges remain. Overall, the need in Sierra Leone is still great. Our staff face many challenges. Electricity and internet access cannot be relied on. Travel in the rural areas is very difficult. On one occasion during my trip, we were held up as we had to construct a makeshift bridge for our 4x4 over a deep ditch.

‍

Despite all this our focus remains on building local skills, enabling communities to take charge of their development. The energy and creativity we have witnessed provide a strong foundation for long-term success.

Your contributions are making clean water, hygiene education, nutrition and sustainable development possible for many people in Sierra Leone. Every well installed, every garden cultivated, and every child attending school earlier is a testament to your generosity and belief in WellFound’s mission.

I am now travelling from Sierra Leone to Guinea-Bissau to carry out a similar review visit. My next article will cover what I find…

With warm regards,

Dr. Antony Kingsley‍

CEO, WellFound

‍

‍

‍

‍