Can you see yourself working in a local community in Sierra Leone? ________________________________________________________
Voluntary work against female mutilation in Masanga, Sierra Leone
Introduction to MEA (Masanga Education Assistance) MEA is an humanitarian organization founded in Switzerland who works against female genitale mutilation (FGM) in Sierra Leone. The reason for fighting against FGM is that the surgical procedure might contribute to severe clinical complications that follow the girls and women during their whole lives. The issue of excision in Sierra Leone is a difficult one especially because excision is the entry point to the “Bondo Society”, to which most women belong and obtain a certain social status. Excision is the initiation ritual to enter the clan. Fighting against it without offering an alternative is not realistic. With the support of the local community and the former Chief’s excision woman, MEA has organized Bondo cermonies without FGM, but where the girls still obtain the social status of the society. To get the locals involved in the program, MEA offers educational assistance to the girls who choose to enter the society without FGM. MEA has its own nursery school for 64 children and continues the support when the children goes to primary school. The program has exsisted for five years and in the meantime 270 girls have been enrolled and saved from the complications that FGM might provoke. Allthough this is only one small step towards the total elimination, MEA will continue to expand the program and advocate against FGM.
Vision
Our vision is to spread the FGM program in Tonkolilli district and to all of Sierra Leone. We will continue our work with the Bondo Society and we aim to organize 2‐4 bondo ceremonies without FGM in Masanga and the surrounding villages every year. Furthermore we want to expand the program and support and organize bondo ceremonies without FGM in all of Sierra Leone.
Work and tasks in Masanga
o Take care of the school o Organise and conduct teachers training o Organization of the program generally and managing all the students and the contact to the villages participating in the program o Extension of the program to other villages o Education of the parents in the program o Agricultural projects at the school and in the villages o Installation of solar panels and different construcion task at the MEA compound
Work and living conditions Transportation o Volunteers must pay their own travel expenses. o MEA has a car in Masanga; petrol and maintenance related to use is under the responsibility of the volunteers. Housing o Volunteers can stay without costs in the MEA house located in the village. o A gas stove and cooking utensils are available in the house. o There is a electricity generator in the house. o The volunteers pay for gas for the stove and fuel for the generator. o One meal a day during the week is free for volunteers.
Criterias for volunteers
25 years or more University degree or other relevant education A strong interest in the young children Fascinated and passionate to make changes in a difficult and challanging setting o Good adaption to any situation and environment o Good sense of responsibility o Able to stay at least 5 months o o o o
For further information please contact: Michele Moreau Søren Post Jacob Jonassen
MEA President and program director michele.moreau@bluewin.ch Current volunteer in Masanga pozt@hotmail.com Current volunteer in Masanga jacobjonassen@hotmail.com