THAMARANE

SIERRA LEONE

In women we trust.

About us

THAMARANE - SIERRA LEONE

is a dynamic, women-led, community-centred non-governmental organisation working to improve health, education, youth development and women's economic empowerment throughout Sierra Leone.

Based on participatory and transformative practices in gender equality, we develop solutions in collaboration with communities, rather than imposing them from above.

"Our mission is to strengthen healthcare."

Our Experience:

As medical doctors and public health professionals with over 30 years of combined experience, we have worked in clinical settings, community programmes and system-strengthening initiatives across Sierra Leone. We know the system from the inside and use that knowledge to design realistic, sustainable interventions.
Our Approach:
- Participatory & Local: Communities lead needs identification and programme design.
- Gender-transformative: We promote equitable participation and leadership of women.
- Capacity-focused: We build skills, systems and institutions for lasting change.
- Long-term & accountable: We prioritise sustainable impact and transparent partnerships.
Our mission:

To improve access to quality health services, education and livelihoods for women, children and youth in Sierra Leone through community-driven, sustainable interventions.
Our vision:

A Sierra Leone where every woman, child and young person can access essential services, education and opportunities to thrive — and where communities actively shape their own future.

Background

The population of Sierra Leone is estimated at around 8.6–8.9 million. sdgindex.org+2The World Bank Docs+2
Nominal GDP per capita in 2024 was approximately USD 878 according to the World Bank / Macro-Poverty Outlook. The World Bank Docs
The level of development remains very low: the Human Development Index (HDI) was measured at 0.458, placing Sierra Leone 184th out of 193 countries in 2023 according to the UNDP.
Multidimensional poverty is extremely pronounced: according to the MPI report, 59.2% of the population was affected by "multidimensional poverty," with a further 21.3% classified as at risk. Human Development Reports
Economically, the country is heavily dependent on agriculture, the informal service sector, and natural resources, making it very vulnerable to external shocks. DevelopmentAid+2BTI 2024+2
Socioeconomic and infrastructural challenges remain: inadequate health infrastructure, a shortage of medical personnel, unequal access to education, and problems with water and sanitation are key obstacles.
This vulnerability is further exacerbated by environmental and climate risks. According to the ND-GAIN index, Sierra Leone has a high vulnerability and low readiness to adapt. data-nd-gain.crc.nd.edu
The SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Index for Sierra Leone is relatively low at 59.4 (out of 100), highlighting the significant development gaps in SDG targets. sdgindex.org

These figures clearly show where the most urgent needs lie (poverty, health, infrastructure, WASH, and climate risks), and this situation makes targeted, community-driven, and equitable programs urgently necessary.

Our Principles

Our work is guided by the following principles:

Justice

Gender transformative—empowering women and girls is at the heart of our mission.
Inclusive and community-oriented - We take a bottom-up approach that is gender transformative and inclusive, ensuring that communities take the lead and develop solutions together.
Inclusive and cross-sector – we involve local leaders, families, and technical experts.
Culturally rooted—our actions reflect local norms, languages, and contexts.
Accessible services: We strive to create better, fairer, and universally accessible healthcare services for all communities.

Participation

Community-based and participatory - Solutions are developed together with the people we serve.

Partnerships for impact - We collaborate with various stakeholders to strengthen health systems, improve outcomes, and promote sustainable community development.
Evidence-based solutions - We apply proven strategies to address public health and development challenges in Sierra Leone.
Collaborative expertise - We work with experts to combat malaria, tuberculosis, maternal and child health, and noncommunicable diseases.
Collaborative design - We work with women, families, and leaders from various sectors to jointly develop strategies that improve health and development.

Innovative and bold: We challenge the status quo and reject "business as usual" approaches. Instead, we develop culturally relevant and sustainable measures.
Research and training: We offer innovative services in research, training, and teaching, and we strategically measure their impact to ensure their effectiveness.
Learning and experience: We draw on the more than 30 years of experience of Thamarane's founders to design our actions.
No "business as usual" approach—we challenge outdated models and encourage innovation.