An initiative that combines interior design and social reconstruction has sprung up on the streets of Freetown. This is the project promoted by the Naomi Kay Foundation, which in six years has gone from one-off assistance to a job training model with a lasting impact.
The organisation, born in the aftermath of the devastating Ebola epidemic, focuses its efforts on teenagers and young people who lost their families during the health crisis. Its proposal is to offer them a professional outlet through apprenticeships in high-end furniture manufacturing and small business management.
This approach allows the beneficiaries to gain economic independence and, at the same time, contribute to the development of their communities. Part of the income from the business is reinvested in school scholarships and psychological support programmes.
The workshop not only produces exclusive pieces from local wood, but also seeks to redefine the concept of humanitarian aid in Sierra Leone: less dependence on donations and more reliance on self-sufficiency.
For those responsible, educating and training a young girl means promoting structural changes in the country. "When a girl has resources, her whole family and her environment improve," the foundation says.
The model is already emerging as a benchmark for social innovation in West Africa, where post-crisis health challenges continue to mark the daily lives of thousands of families.
Source: salonemessengers.com