What Makes a Community Thrive? Yandohun: A Journey of Transformation
This holiday season, as we come together on one of the biggest giving days of the year, Giving Tuesday, we invite you to be part of an incredible story—a journey of transformation driven by the people of Yandohun, a thriving community in Sierra Leone.
Community Action Project: Yandohun Well Implementation Project
When Yandohun began their journey toward sustainable change in 2016, with 668 people, they dreamed of the most essential human right: safe, clean water and basic sanitation. Their vision was simple, yet crucial to the health and growth of its people. Faced with the dangers of diseases, they rallied together, laying the foundation for a brighter future.
Yandohun community members gathered together to plan their community structures and the impact they wanted to create. Within a year, they began constructing four sanitary latrines and two wells—steps that brought lasting health to every household. In 2019, they completed these projects, which still bring health to the community today.
But Yandohun’s journey didn’t stop there. As they saw the power of what they could achieve together, their aspirations grew. They wanted more than survival—they wanted their entire community to thrive. In 2018, recognizing the critical role of the next generation and children and women’s economic empowerment, they embarked on their second major initiative: building a school.
The community constructed a six classroom primary school, supported 10 teenage girls with scholarships, established a School Management Committee, and provided sex education for teenagers. Six years later, the school is still in use, and young women are being trained, continuing to learn and lead by education.
Yandohun Primary School Students
“The construction of the school in our community by the partnership of OneVillage Partners [OVP] has created a big impact in our lives. Our children used to cover three to five miles for them to have access to school, but really we thank OVP for supporting us to construct a school building for our children.” - Juana Bockarie
Now, Yandohun stands at a pivotal moment, ready to take their transformation to the next level. Their latest project, a community store and rice mill, symbolizes not only their dreams but also the dreams they hold for neighboring communities. The rice mill will elevate agricultural productivity, reduce food processing costs, and generate sustainable income, while the community store will become an economic hub—providing resources, boosting trade, and supporting social cohesion. This project ensures that Yandohun is not only healthy in terms of clean water but also financially and socially resilient.
Imagine a community that began with a simple hope for latrines and clean water now striving to create a legacy of sustainability and regional prosperity. Yandohun’s journey shows the extraordinary potential that unfolds when a community takes charge of its needs.
This holiday season, we’re inviting you to walk alongside communities like Yandohun on this journey. Your gifts on Giving Tuesday will empower our community members to complete their vision for the future. Together, we can ensure that their transformation continues, spreading the impact to surrounding communities and setting a precedent for future development.