Our work
What we do in West Africa
A Bo Peace and Reconciliation Movement meeting in Benduma Bagbe chiefdom, Sierra Leone
Conciliation Resources has worked in West Africa since 1996, mostly in southern and eastern Sierra Leone during and after its 10-year civil war.
Our jointly planned work with community groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) underscores the important role we believe local people have in transforming their own violent conflicts and achieving lasting peace.
We work with marginalized people to develop effective solutions to social, economic and political problems, understanding the value this has for tackling the root causes of conflict. Our work includes:
- peacebuilding in local communities, helping partners organize community reconciliation meetings, supporting their project management of peace monitoring and conflict mediation activities in south eastern Sierra Leone, and working with traditional authorities in the country to help resolve conflict points.
- rebuilding young people’s lives after war through our youth drop-in-centre in Kenema and work with local youth organizations to help young men and women develop conflict resolution skills, sustained livelihoods and become respected by their communities.
- strengthening local justice, governance and security by building understanding between communities and the re-emerging judiciary and security structures to ensure access to and meaningful justice for communities as well as their greater involvement in security. Read about our Strengthening Citizens' Security project.
- supporting civil society and cross-border peacebuilding in the Mano River Union countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea to strengthen relationships and learning between organizations, build their ability to monitor conflict trends and define their role in improving accountability in local governance.
View the Peace monitors photo gallery and the Images of Sierra Leone 2007 photo gallery.