Organization
Disabled International Foundation Sierra Leone(DIF-SIL)
Sierra Leone non-profit founded in 2008 that works through advocacy, skills training, and education to empower persons with disabilities and promote their full participation in society. DIF-SIL played a leading role in the campaign that resulted in the passage of Sierra Leone's landmark 2011 Persons with Disabilities Act.
About
Founded in Freetown in 2008, the Disabled International Foundation Sierra Leone (DIF-SIL) is a privately funded, non-profit organisation whose mission is to improve the lives of disabled people in Sierra Leone so they can live with dignity, respect, and independence as full members of society. The organisation has been a central player in the country's disability-rights movement for over fifteen years.
What They Do
DIF-SIL works through three main pillars: advocacy for disability-friendly legislation and policy; skills training and vocational education programmes that provide employment pathways for adults with disabilities; and construction and operation of educational facilities for disabled children. The organisation was instrumental in the civil-society coalition that successfully lobbied for the 2011 Persons with Disabilities Act. It currently operates a workspace providing employment opportunities to disabled adults and is constructing a purpose-built school for disabled children in Freetown.
Who They Serve
DIF-SIL serves persons with all types of disabilities across Sierra Leone, with a particular focus on adults who need employment and skills support, and children who need accessible schooling. The organisation is especially attentive to those whose disabilities were acquired during Sierra Leone's civil war.
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