By: Mamajah Jalloh
The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), through its Directorate of NGO Affairs, has held its monthly Open Information Session to review the contributions, impact and implementation challenges of non-governmental organizations operating in Sierra Leone.
The session held on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at the Ministry’s conference room, brought together representatives from Government institutions, Parliament, development partners, beneficiaries, the media and the Sierra Leone Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (SLANGO).
Five NGO partners of Imagine Worldwide Sightsavers, Welbodi Partnership, Welthungerhilfe and SEND Sierra Leone presented their mandates, programmes, achievements, funding arrangements, implementation challenges and priorities.
The engagement was chaired by Acting Development Secretary Usman Cherry Conteh, who facilitated discussions between the NGO representatives and stakeholders.
In his keynote address, Acting Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Titus-Williams, said the Open Information Session was important in ensuring that NGO operations and contributions to national development remain visible, transparent and accountable.
He said the forum provided an opportunity for Government, Parliament, development partners, the media and beneficiaries to hear directly about programmes being implemented across the country and their impact on communities.
Rev. Dr. Titus-Williams encouraged participants to engage constructively with the presentations and stressed the need for stronger coordination, transparency and alignment of development interventions with Sierra Leone’s national development priorities.
Presenting the work of Imagine Worldwide, Executive Director Sugandh Juneja highlighted the organization’s support for foundational learning through technology-enabled education. She focused on the Pikin Tab programme, which provides children with digital learning opportunities to strengthen literacy and numeracy skills.
Country Director of Sightsavers, Tiangay Gonde, outlined the organization’s work in eye health, neglected tropical diseases and disability inclusion. He highlighted interventions including support to eye-health services, health-worker training and disability inclusion across several districts.
Sightsavers also announced plans to commence construction of an eye-health facility in Makeni, with funding support from a UK-based family.
The Project Coordinator of Welbodi Partnership, Elizabeth Bondu Conteh, presented the organization’s work in maternal and child health, including the use of the Cradle device, a portable blood-pressure monitoring technology designed to support the early detection of pregnancy-related complications.
She also highlighted Welbodi Partnership’s contribution to paediatric oncology services and efforts to strengthen the capacity of health workers to provide specialized care for children.
Representatives of Welthungerhilfe and SEND Sierra Leone also outlined their respective programmes, achievements, implementation experiences and priorities.
The presentations provided stakeholders with an overview of the organizations’ interventions, resources, achievements and challenges.
During the discussions that followed, representatives from Government institutions and other stakeholders raised questions and made observations on programme implementation, coordination, resource mobilization, infrastructure and sustainability.
Hon. Abdul Latif Sesay, Chairman of the NGO, NACSA and Public Investment Committee, welcomed the engagement and stressed the importance of parliamentary oversight and ensuring that Members of Parliament have firsthand information about development projects being implemented in their communities.
Representing the Ministry of Health, Edward Kahindo Sam raised issues concerning the implementation and sustainability of interventions in the health sector, while Idrissa Owen Brima of the Ministry of Water Resources highlighted the need for effective coordination, resource allocation and sustainability within the water sector.
Other MDA representatives also raised concerns relating to reporting, staffing, infrastructure, connectivity, equipment maintenance, theft of project assets and the need for stronger domestic financing and coordination among development actors.
The session also gave beneficiaries an opportunity to share their experiences of NGO-supported programmes.
A young beneficiary of Imagine Worldwide’s Pikin Tab programme described how the digital learning platform had changed her attitude towards learning and increased her interest in numeracy.
Another young beneficiary, who received cancer treatment through support associated with Welbodi Partnership’s paediatric oncology services, shared her experience of treatment and care. She said her interaction with healthcare professionals had inspired her ambition to become a doctor.
Mabinty Sudan Kemoh, a teacher at Police Primary School in Kissy, also spoke about the impact of the Pikin Tab programme on pupils, citing improvements in learners’ engagement with literacy and numeracy and calling for the programme to be extended to more schools.
Edward von Villa, a Family Support Officer, shared the experience of a child who received care through Welbodi Partnership’s support to paediatric oncology services.
In a statement on behalf of the Directorate of NGO Affairs, the Deputy Director said the Open Information Session formed part of Government’s commitment to openness, transparency and mutual accountability in the NGO sector.
He noted that NGOs have worked alongside Government and communities for decades to respond to development challenges, adding that the sessions provide an opportunity to assess progress, identify challenges and strengthen collaboration.
He encouraged participating organizations to regard the information presented as part of their accountability to Government and the communities they serve.
Throughout the session, Acting Development Secretary Usman Cherry Conteh reiterated the importance of ensuring that NGO interventions are coordinated and aligned with national development objectives.
He said the platform enables Government, NGOs, Parliament, beneficiaries and other stakeholders to better understand ongoing interventions and identify areas where collaboration can be strengthened.
Concluding the session, Acting Minister Rev. Dr. Jonathan Titus-Williams thanked the participating NGOs, Government institutions, Members of Parliament, beneficiaries, development partners and the media for their contributions.
He encouraged the organizations to expand their interventions to more communities, deliver sustainable results and maintain alignment with Sierra Leone’s national development priorities.
The Open Information Session is part of MoPED’s ongoing efforts to promote transparency, accountability and coordination in the NGO sector while ensuring that development interventions support Sierra Leone’s national development priorities.