By: Abu H. Kargbo
The Women’s Forum for Human Rights and Democracy (WOFHRAD) Sierra Leone is commemorating 20 years of promoting women’s rights, empowering girls, and strengthening democratic governance, marking two decades of impactful service to national development.
Reflecting on the organization’s journey, Co-founder and Executive Director, Emilia Kamara-Jengo, recalled that WOFHRAD’s inception was inspired by a classroom challenge delivered by Prof. Joseph Alimamy Turay, now Vice Chancellor of the University of Makeni. His message to students was simple but profound: “Don’t be job seekers; rather, become job creators.”
According to Kamara-Jengo, that challenge inspired her and the organization’s founder, Madam Isha Kanu Moriba, to establish an institution dedicated to promoting the rights, dignity, and empowerment of women and girls in Sierra Leone.
“It was within those classroom walls that Madam Isha Kanu Moriba, our founder, and I envisioned an organization that would champion the rights, dignity, and empowerment of women and girls in Sierra Leone,” she said.
Over the past two decades, WOFHRAD has grown into one of Sierra Leone’s leading civil society organizations, making significant contributions to women’s empowerment, human rights advocacy, and democratic governance.
The organization has implemented a wide range of initiatives, including training and mentoring female political aspirants before and after elections, advocating against sexual and gender-based violence, raising public awareness on human rights issues, providing vocational and life skills training for girls, and engaging in advocacy on critical national issues.
Despite challenges such as funding constraints and public health emergencies, WOFHRAD has remained resilient, continuing to expand its programmes and impact communities across the country.
As part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, the organization held interfaith thanksgiving services, with staff joining worshippers at the Teko Road Mosque during Friday Juma prayers and later attending a thanksgiving service at Our Lady of Fatima Cathedral.
WOFHRAD also expressed profound appreciation to its development partners, including ActionAid Sierra Leone, Trócaire, World Vision Sierra Leone, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), among others, for their longstanding support and strategic partnerships, which have contributed significantly to the organization’s growth and success.
Kamara-Jengo said the anniversary is not only a celebration of past achievements but also a renewed commitment to the future. She noted that, despite the global donor funding challenges, WOFHRAD is making steady progress on the construction of its new office complex at Panlap.
“The work continues, and we look ahead with hope, stronger partnerships, and an unwavering commitment to building a Sierra Leone where every woman and girl can live with dignity, exercise her rights, realize her full potential, and contribute meaningfully to a peaceful, democratic, and inclusive society,” she affirmed.
The week-long anniversary celebrations are expected to climax on Friday, 3 July 2026, with a dinner and Awards Night at the Makeni City Council Hall, where individuals and organizations that have contributed to WOFHRAD’s mission over the past two decades will be recognized.