What We Do

At SPACE, we believe education must transcend the confines of the classroom and quality education is one that cultivates agency, critical thinking, and leadership among young people. Our integrated approach combines formal and non-formal education with mentorship, life skills, and civic engagement, in line with the Sierra Leone Education Sector Plan (2022–2026) and the National Youth Policy (2020–2025). These frameworks emphasize inclusive, equitable, and transformative education as a pathway to national development. SPACE works closely with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), and District Councils to create safe, inclusive learning environments where youth are empowered to lead and influence the change they envision.

Anchored in the 2023 Education Act and the Teachers Code of Conduct, SPACE strengthens school governance by revitalizing School Management Committees (SMCs) and Boards of Directors (BoDs), ensuring accountability and community ownership of education outcomes. We invest in teacher training focused on literacy, numeracy, and pedagogical innovation, and provide essential teaching materials based on needs assessments. Our programs also promote student engagement through reading and debating clubs, interschool competitions, and quarterly Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meetings that foster collaborative school-home relationships. Through hybrid school-based scholarships and merit-based academic awards, SPACE ensures that financial hardship does not hinder access to higher education for high-potential students. Our education strategy is aligned with Sierra Leone’s Free Quality School Education (FQSE) policy and builds on its strengths—such as expanded access and equity—while addressing persistent challenges in quality, governance, and community engagement to accelerate inclusive, transformative learning outcomes nationwide.

Our youth empowerment initiatives are rooted in the belief that young people are architects of development and not just beneficiaries. We support community learning centers, champion youth-led initiatives, and facilitate civic education for out-of-school and marginalized youths. Our approaches are drawn from the US government Opportunity Youth model and aligns with Sierra Leone’s National Youth Policy’s call to “empower youth as active citizens and agents of change.” Our work contributes to Sierra Leone’s broader vision of building inclusive, resilient communities where education drives sustainable development and social transformation.

At SPACE, we champion the delivery of essential social services as a fundamental human right and believe that equitable access to health, nutrition and WASH must be guaranteed for all people, at all times. In Sierra Leone, even after over 60 years of independence, access to quality health care, safe water, and adequate nutrition services remain uneven especially in rural and underserved communities. SPACE works to close these gaps by strengthening local systems and capacities. We work in partnerships with the Ministry of Health and District Health Management Teams (DHMTs) and other partners to complement Government’s efforts in the implementation of the Free Health Care Initiative through capacity building for health workers, strengthening primary healthcare system, bridging the health gap through mobile health outreaches in rural underserved communities, and the provision of essential supplies to improve access to and utilization of health and nutrition services. Our approaches are reinforced through school-based and community health clubs, and we use evidence-based social behavior change to promote health and nutrition education that largely targets pregnant and lactating women, children under five, and school-aged youth with interventions.

A growing crisis threatening Sierra Leone’s future is the widespread abuse of illicit and deadly drugs, particularly among youth. SPACE views this as a national pandemic and integrates evidence-based behavior change approaches into its youth empowerment strategy to address it head-on. We establish health clubs in communities, schools, colleges, and universities to promote safe health practices, peer education, and psychosocial support. These clubs serve as platforms for awareness, prevention, and leadership development. By combining life skills training, mentorship, and civic engagement, SPACE empowers young people to become advocates for healthy living. According to UNICEF, only 16% of schools in Sierra Leone have access to basic sanitation, and nearly half lack clean drinking water.  We are tackling this through our Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions in schools and communities through the construction of safe latrines, provision of handwashing facilities, and water points based on needs.

Our social service delivery model integrates emergency preparedness, response, and recovery because we recognize Sierra Leone’s heightened vulnerability to climate change-related disasters, including floods and landslides. We coordinate with the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) and work with local authorities and community structures to build early warning systems, train first responders, and develop contingency plans that protect lives and livelihoods. Our approach emphasizes community-led resilience, ensuring that vulnerable populations—especially women, children, and persons with disabilities—are not left behind during crises.

Our Strategic Advocacy and Research Program is designed to drive evidence-based policy reform, amplify community voices, and position SPACE as a national thought leader in inclusive development. At the heart of this strategy is a commitment to using rigorous community engagement and research to inform our advocacy efforts to ensure that policy recommendations are grounded in lived realities and data-driven insights. Through targeted research and policy analysis, SPACE will champion advocacy reforms that will contribute to amplifying the voices of communities and improving social service delivery. Our advocacy will empower women and youth to hold duty bearers accountable, influence decision-making, and lead grassroots campaigns that shape district level, regional and national development priorities.

This work is supported through a Consultancy, Learning and Innovation Hub that serves as a dynamic think tank and center for community development solutions, technical assistance, and strategic partnerships. This hub offers consulting services to INGOs, donors, national government agencies, and district councils, supporting their efforts in defining priorities, implementing programs, and measuring impact. Income generated from consultancy services is reinvested into SPACE’s core programs, enabling financial sustainability and the retention of highly qualified experts. The hub incubates innovative approaches to local governance, service delivery, and youth-led development and positions SPACE as the national NGO of choice for strategic collaboration and national influence.

In line with our community identity, we work with youths and community stakeholders and invest in strengthening the capacity of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). Where they do not exist, we form them, train and support CBOs to lead community development initiatives, advocate for public accountability, and deliver localized solutions. By building their technical, organizational, and leadership capacities, SPACE fosters a network of empowered grassroots actors who can sustain change from within. These CBOs are instrumental in promoting health awareness, responding to emergencies, and driving behavior change in their communities. Through this integrated approach, SPACE does not only influence policy at the national level but also ensure that transformation is rooted in community ownership and resilience.

Gender equity and child protection are at the core of SPACE’s strategic priorities because we know that inclusive progress is impossible without safeguarding rights and dismantling systemic barriers. We advance gender equity by promoting agency, leadership, and economic opportunity for women and girls—especially in rural and marginalized communities. Our programs integrate gender-responsive education, financial inclusion, and life skills training to ensure that women and youth are not only protected but empowered to lead. Through targeted mentorship, safe access to essential services, and survivor support services, SPACE creates safe, enabling environments where women and girls can thrive free from violence, discrimination, and exploitation.

Through our Child Protection programs, we strengthen school-based safeguarding systems, promote positive parenting through Parent Teacher Association (PTA) engagement, and support youth-led initiatives that champion child rights. Our hybrid scholarship model ensures vulnerable children access quality education, while our community learning centers serve as safe spaces for out-of-school youth. By investing in psychosocial support, child-friendly reporting mechanisms, and inclusive curricula, SPACE builds a protective ecosystem that nurtures resilience, dignity, and opportunity for every child. This integrated approach ensures that protection is not a standalone intervention, but an integral theme across all programs.