Press Releases

Freetown, Sierra Leone – May 5, 2025 – The President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ChildFund International, Isam Ghanim, visited Sierra Leone from 5-8 May, 2025. Mr. Ghanim’s visit underscores ChildFund’s commitment to deepening partnerships and advancing sustainable development efforts that improve the lives of children and families across the country.

Upon his arrival, Mr. Ghanim met with a diverse group of young people from ChildFund’s operational areas and the capital city, Freetown. The youth dialogue focused on critical issues including child protection, environmental sustainability, and youth participation in national development.

“I always make it a priority to engage with youth wherever I visit,” said Mr. Ghanim, affirming the organization’s dedication to elevating young voices and perspectives.

In a series of high-level meetings, Mr. Ghanim and ChildFund’s leadership team engaged with key development stakeholders to explore opportunities for collaboration. This included a productive meeting with His Excellency Jacek Jankowski, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Sierra Leone. Their conversation focused on strengthening ongoing partnerships and identifying new areas for collaboration in education, the green economy, and good governance.

Another key engagement brought together Mr. Ghanim, Chege Ngugi, Regional Director for ChildFund Africa, and Janella Nelson, Director of Education at ChildFund International, alongside ChildFund Sierra Leone’s Country Director Victor Kamara and Programs & Sponsorship Director Isatu Venn, for strategic dialogue with Her Excellency Alex Maclean, the Deputy High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Sierra Leone and Development Director of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

This high-level conversation centered on building collaborative relationships for current and future opportunities in support of Sierra Leone’s development goals.

Key areas of mutual interest discussed during these engagements included:

• • Strengthening education systems with a focus on inclusive learning and social-emotional development
  • Enhancing healthcare delivery to improve child and maternal health outcomes
  • Promoting gender equality and increasing leadership roles for women and girls
  • Advancing microeconomic sustainability and mass economic growth pathways
  • Supporting private sector development, with emphasis on green and environment-friendly investments
  • Expanding energy access, particularly off-grid and renewable solutions
  • Promoting environmental sustainability and resilience
  • Promoting good governance as a foundation for long-term development

Health and education emerged as central pillars of future collaboration, with all parties expressing strong alignment in their vision to deliver impactful, community-driven solutions that prioritize children and vulnerable populations.

As ChildFund International strengthens its work in Sierra Leone, this visit is an important step in building strong partnerships that will help create a fairer, safer, and more hopeful future for all children.