HealthyCommunities

Country: Sierra Leone

Contact person: Anne Bay Paludan

Project description: The objective is to strengthen and heal trauma in the local communities after many years of civil war through restoration and strengthening of human relations, legitimate leadership and a culture with respect for the human rights. RCT's cooperation with CAPS contributes to building sustainable, knowledge-based, health professional resources, which form a constructive part of the local and national development.

RCT and CAPS are committed to increasing the population's and the local leaders' knowledge about torture and its consequences. This work is i.a. done through radio programmes and investigative activities. CAPS also organises purification ceremonies and establishes rehabilitation and referral systems for the many victims of torture and organised violence. Furthermore, the project offers advice in the prisons and contributes to knowledge sharing in the area of torture and rehabilitation.

Partner presentation: CAPS is a clinical organisation that works in the eastern parts of Sierra Leone that were most badly hit during the civil war. The organisation is committed to promoting and enabling rehabilitation of traumatised survivors of torture, war and organised violence. CAPS offers psychosocial advice for individuals, families, local communities and in prisons. Where required, CAPS also facilitates referral for medical treatment and physical rehabilitation.

Context: The physical as well as the psychosocial traumas from TOV after the long civil war in Sierra Leone still have a profound impact on the population. The situation is intensified due to the extreme poverty that extends to all sectors of this in all respects fragile state. (Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the UNDP's Human Development (DRI) Index.

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