Sierra Leone (no interventions)

HI worked in Sierra Leone for nearly 30 years to improve the quality of life and mental health of people experiencing psychosocial distress or living with a mental health condition.

In the final years of its presence in this small West African country, HI worked with local communities and organisations to establish community-based response and prevention strategies in the fields of mental health and psychosocial support. The aim was to improve the well-being of people in distress by working directly with communities and training mental health professionals. HI also worked with local associations to carry out advocacy work and contribute to the formulation of new laws and practices in the field of mental health, to better protect and support communities. The organisation also worked with healthcare professionals in hospital settings to raise awareness of inclusion issues and improve the management of disability.

Finally, HI carried out initiatives aimed at strengthening the economic inclusion of the most vulnerable populations (people with disabilities, people living with HIV and survivors of gender-based violence), notably through inclusive agriculture activities. HI teams also ran awareness-raising sessions, trained farmers and promoted agrotourism.