Country Focus
In 2024, the government of Sierra Leone declared Kush, a new highly addictive drug, a national emergency due to its widespread use, particularly among youth in urban areas. Sierra Leone’s landscape analysis showed that the high prevalence of substance use among young people is driving serious mental health challenges, including substance abuse, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide and suicidal thoughts.
Stakeholders consulted highlighted that while national legislation criminalizes harm-reduction activities and drug users for both possession and use, which can perpetuate stigma, the recent declaration of Kush as a national emergency presents an opportunity. This moment can be used to strengthen preventative approaches to youth mental health and wellbeing in policy to address the underlying factors of drug use like poverty, trauma, lack of economic opportunities, etc.
What we’re funding in Sierra Leone
Proof-of-concept funding:
Proof-of-concept (POC) funding up to $250,000 CAD will be awarded to early-stage projects that can implement, test and refine solutions to country-specific personal, social, and/or environmental factors impacting young people’s mental health and wellbeing in one of the 12 countries.
In Sierra Leone, we’re funding POC ideas to reduce and prevent substance use among young people aged 10-24. These innovative solutions will combine substance use education and alternative youth programming, with the goal of providing youth with the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.
Transition-to-scale funding:
Transition-to-scale (TTS) funding between $300,000 CAD and $1,500,000 CAD will be awarded to support tested mental health promotion and prevention approaches that align with country-specific priorities along their scaling journey to help catalyze their sustainability and impact.
In Sierra Leone, we’re funding TTS approaches to reduce and prevent substance use among young people aged 10-24. These innovative solutions will combine substance use education and alternative youth programming, with the goal of providing youth with the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.
Ecosystem catalyst funding:
Ecosystem catalyst (EC) funding between $200,000 CAD and $300,000 CAD will be awarded to organizations that can address priority barriers to scale, such as legislation, evidence, coordination, and mobilize demand to help mental health initiatives succeed and grow in one of 12 priority countries.
In Sierra Leone, we’re funding EC proposals to support advocacy efforts with the goal of influencing national action plans and regulatory frameworks related to mental health and substance use towards effective prevention and promotion strategies and stigma reduction.
Funded Innovations
Fight against Kush and substance abuse in Sierra Leone
Implementing Organization: Advocacy for Youth Mental Health and Empowerment
Type: Proof-of-Concept
Location: Freetown, Makeni, Kambia, Port Loko, Moyamba and Bo, Sierra Leone
Thematic Area(s): Peer-based
Status: Funded
It takes a village: empowering Freetown slum communities to prevent Kush use and promote wellbeing among addicted youth
Implementing Organization: Global Youth Network for Empowerment and Development
Type: Proof-of-Concept
Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone
Thematic Area(s): Sports, Peers-based
Status: Funded
Brave Heart Intervention: Preventing Substance Use Disorders among Young People in Sierra Leone
Implementing Organization: Slum and Rural Health Initiative
Type: Transition-to-Scale
Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone
Thematic Area(s): Digital, Peer-based
Status: Funded
