WHAT
WE DO
At the Foundation for Agriculture and Environmental Conservation (FAEC), we work towards creating awareness and implementing initiatives to protect the environment, and human health and support sustainable farming methods. Our organization is committed to alleviating poverty, addressing climate action, reducing youth unemployment, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and gender equality, and improving maternal and child healthcare across Sierra Leone. We aim to empower rural communities through consultations, capacity-building workshops, sustainable healthcare, agricultural and environmental practices, renewable energy access, advocacy, awareness-raising, and partnerships with like-minded organizations and individuals. Our objectives include reducing youth unemployment through the promotion of market-driven technical skills training, renewable energy access, supporting sustainable agricultural practices, climate adaptation, mitigation and loss & damage, health, and environmental & nature conservation.
Our leadership qualities include integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect for others, compassion, resilience, and valuing continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organization.
PROGRAMS & PROJECTS.
At FAEC, we offer various programs and projects that contribute to sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation, innovation, and community development. Our programs include Sustainable Community, Stop Wildlife Crime, Quality Education, Marine Conservation, Health and Climate Change, Urgent Action to Combat Climate Change and its Impacts, Forest Restoration, Youth 4 Climate Action, and Environmental Policy. We collaborate with local communities, government agencies, and other organizations to achieve our objectives. We believe that by working together, we can make a positive impact on our society and the environment.
Sustainable community
Our Community development program focuses on tech-innovation, and promoting sustainable healthcare for all, sustainable farming practices, community infrastructure support, WASH facilities, and efforts to protect biodiversity in which the local community participates as much as possible in their communities. We work with local farmers to provide them with the necessary tools, skills, and knowledge to improve their farming practices and increase their yields. We advocate and raise awareness on the issues of climate change, human health, and the environment. We work with local community leaders to promote and improve their infrastructures etc. We also engage in tree planting activities and promote sustainable forest management practices to conserve wildlife habitats and prevent deforestation.
Sustainable Healthcare
Chronic diseases and healthcare costs are on the rise. COVID-19 has increased the burden on hospitals and health services. Many of our communities or developing sectors don’t have access even to essential healthcare. Many of our community people don’t even know how to prevent themselves from diseases and how to take care of the environment they live. Many parents need to be aware and take preventive measures while growing up their children. Many low-medium income communities in our region also face unique challenges and circumstances.
SO, WE NEED TO LOOK FOR DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS TO CLOSING THAT GAP:
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By improving the standard of care
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Ensuring access to essential care
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Opportunities to educate and raise awareness about public health-related
SUSTAINABLE HEALTHCARE DRIVES PROGRESS:
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Increases access to healthcare
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And improves patient outcomes.
In Sierra Leone, sustainable healthcare underpins all that we do. We believe that sustainable healthcare is systematically removing barriers to access to health systems so that we can ensure equal access to healthcare solutions while taking good care of our planet.
Sustainable Healthcare is one in which high-quality services are delivered in such a way that they are affordable and accessible to everybody, and in this way, public health will be protected in a way in which it’s economically friendly as well as environmentally friendly.
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Affordable
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Accessible
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Environmentally-friendly
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Economically-friendly
SIGNIFICANT:
Failure to evolve into a model of sustainable healthcare will only serve to increase the environmental impact of the healthcare sector. Population growth, unhealthy lifestyles, increases in chronic disease, aging populations, and increased access to healthcare are all expected to drive increases in healthcare demands and resource consumption in the coming decades.
When this is combined with the anticipated healthcare impacts linked to climate change, the need for sustainable transformation becomes clearer and more urgent.
Quality
Education
Our Educational programs focus on providing quality education to children in rural communities. We believe that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and improving the livelihoods of rural communities. We partner with INGOs and private companies to construct and provide renewable energy access to school buildings, educational materials, teacher training, and school infrastructures to improve the quality of education in these areas.
Health and climate change
OUR APPROACHES TO COMBAT CLIMATE-RELATED ILLNESSES
TREATMENT: In collaboration with INGOs we will offer treatment when individuals suffer harm as a result of climate change or climate events, they will seek medical attention to treat heat stroke from rising temperatures, asthma from increased air pollution, water-borne illness from flooding, Lyme disease from expanding host habitat or an injury after a devastating storm and to cope with mental wellness issues after job, family, housing or other loss or injury following an extreme weather event.
Example:
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Emphasis on disease diagnosis, treatment, and care for the individual patient
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Testing a patient for parasites following a flood/extreme rainfall or severe storm event in their community.
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Treating a patient for heat stroke due to the extreme temperatures of climate change
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Providing antibiotics and/or pain medication for a patient with Lyme disease, which can be contracted later in the season and in a larger geographical area due to the warmer temperatures of climate change.
PREVENTION, DETECTION AND MANAGEMENT:
In collaboration with public health professionals/GoSL/INGOs/NGOs, we do climate change research, work and educate the public on the health consequences of climate change; help communities prepare for climate events by providing heat wave warnings, air quality index alerts, water safety testing, mosquito control programs, storm warnings and more; and coordinate detection, tracking, and management of public health emergencies.
Example:
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Promoting heat wave warning systems to help communities prepare for heat waves
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Awareness-raising and Community Mobilization on capacity building
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Emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion for the whole community
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Monitoring and testing water for contaminants.
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Assisting communities in implementing climate adaptation plans.
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Working with mosquito control program officers to predict insect outbreak hot spots and preparing the public in those areas.
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Coordinating with community organizations to promote insect repellent or long-sleeved clothes.
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Spreading information or holding information sessions on how to safely use insect repellent and which repellent to use.
Forest
Restoration
Our Forest Restoration program aims to restore degraded forest ecosystems and promote sustainable forest management through innovative practices. We work with local communities to plant trees and engage in forest management activities to improve the health of forest ecosystems.
Our Organization has more than 65,000 hectares of rainforest in collaboration with the local communities in search of international partners for awaiting conservational purposes at Bumpe Ngo Chiefdom, Bumpe section, and 55,000 hectares in other chiefdoms in the southern provinces of Sierra Leone.
Environmental Policy
Our Environmental policy program focuses on consultations and advocating for policies and regulations that promote sustainable agricultural practices, environmental protections, marine conservation, pollution controls, and community development. We engage in policy research, advocacy, and lobbying activities to influence decision-making processes at the local and national levels.
Marine Conservation
Our Marine Conservation program focuses on protecting marine biodiversity and promoting sustainable fishing practices. We work with local fishermen to promote responsible fishing practices and conserve marine resources. We also engage in beach cleaning activities and promote responsible waste management practices to prevent marine pollution.
Youth 4 Climate Action
Our climate action program aims to engage children and youth in participation in tree planting at schools and then teach them how to engage themselves in environmental activism and translate the awareness messages in their various communities. and also promote them to be part of environmental processes and ensure they are taken seriously at the decision-making table.
Stop Wildlife
Crime
Our Stop Wildlife Crime program aims to protect endangered species from illegal hunting, poaching, and trafficking. We work with law enforcement agencies and local communities to raise awareness about the negative impacts of wildlife crime and to promote responsible tourism practices.
WHERE WE WORK:
The western area of Freetown, Southern, Eastern, and Northern provinces of Sierra Leone.
Coalitions With International Networks:
1. CCN Climate Catalyst Network Group 3
2. YOUNGO | The Official Children and Youth Constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
3. Children and Youth Major Group to the United Nations Environmental Program (CYMG UNEP)
4. Loss and Damage Youth Coalition
5. RCOY-Collaborations – Africa
6. AYICC (African Youth Initiative on Climate Change)
7. CYMG UNEP Working Groups (WG):
