Network Movement for Justice and Development

NMJD Provides School Learning Materials to the Koryadu School Pupils.

Schools across Sierra Leone, including the Junior Secondary School at Koryadu, reopened on Monday 7th September 2026. The turn-out of pupils at the Koryadu Junior Secondary School was high, with more than 70 pupils in attendance. This attendance reflected the pupils’ enthusiasm and commitment to continuing their education. As part of the reopening activities, newly promoted JSS 1 pupils who performed exceptionally well in the National Primary School Examination (NPSE) were recognized and given educational materials as gifts, including school bags, pens, and books. The gesture celebrated their hard work and encouraged them to remain committed to their studies.

One of the pupils recognized was Rosaline Bao, the school’s top NPSE performer, who achieved an impressive score of 294 marks and set a new school record. Reflecting on her achievement, Rosaline Bao said she was happy to be named the school’s best-performing pupil and expressed her determination to work even harder to maintain her academic progress.
Rosaline Bao also encouraged her fellow pupils to study hard and stay focused, especially as they are looking ahead towards the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in two years.

Overall, the reopening activity marked a successful start to the new school year and it also created an opportunity to recognize academic excellence, motivate pupils, and promote a culture of hard work and achievement at the Koryadu Junior Secondary School.

NMJD Returns from Benin World Social Forum (WSF)

With support from Medico International, NMJD joined other CSOs, NGOs, advocacy campaigns, grassroots movements and activists from across the world and championed “Social Justice and Climate Action” at this year’s week-long World Social Forum held in Cotonou, Benin from 4-8 August 2026. This historic global gathering convened delegates from over 120 countries to address critical issues intersecting land rights, water security, gender equality, climate change, and state-led injustices across Africa. NMJD was represented at the WSF by its Programmes Coordinator, Northern Region, Ms. Mariama Alice Kamara. and the Regional Programmes Manager, Eastern Region, Mr. Joseph Ansumana.
As a global platform for uniting diverse civil society groups, the WSF is a clear expression of global activism aimed at creating a more equitable alternative where “another world is possible”. The Benin WSF was held amidst political turmoil in the host country, which saw last ditch attempts by the Benin government to prevent the global event from taking place, and even deny some participants, especially the caravans, entry into the country. These failed attempts raised serious global concerns among progressives and human rights campaigners around the world about the protection and safety of the civil society space.

Despite these initial administrative and regulatory hurdles that delayed the official opening ceremony of the WSF on August 4, civil society organizations (CSOs) demonstrated remarkable resilience and desire to strengthen solidarity and collaboration. Participants quickly mobilized into self-organized working groups to spearhead vital dialogues on climate justice, agroecology, youth empowerment, and gender equality.

NMJD representatives engaged dynamically across various interactive workshops, gaining global insights while also prominently showcasing NMJD’s ongoing grassroots initiatives such as the MASIDAMA Methodology in Karene district and the conflict resolution mechanisms for cattle rearers and crop farmers in Kono district, all geared towards building a peaceful and sustainable societal transformation.

Karene District continues to face serious challenges after the collapse of the Mathehun Bridge and the ongoing deterioration of the Makeni–Kamakwie road. These failures affect everything from food security to healthcare, education, trade and emergency access for over 290,000 residents.

SEND Sierra Leone and NMJD are calling for urgent government action to secure safe interim routes, mobilise construction, restore ferry services and publish a transparent, time‑bound delivery plan for the entire corridor.

Click the link below to read the full paper.

Urgent Government Action on the Makeni–Kamakwie Road, Mathehun Bridge and Alternative Crossings – NMJD Urgent Government Action on the Makeni–Kamakwie Road, Mathehun Bridge and Alternative CrossingsBy Amkam / August 20, 2026 Read paper

NMJD Mentors Young Women in Karene District

NMJD concluded the first phase of its Leadership, Coaching, and Life Skills Mentorship sessions for young women in Karene district on Saturday 1st August 2026. The two days training session took place in Kamakwie and it brought together 42 of the 54 members of the Karene Young Women in Governance Network (KYWiGN). The participating women received coaching and mentorship skills on key topics, including Advocacy Strategies and Local Resource Mobilization. During the training, members were also guided on how to restructure the network’s leadership in accordance with its constitution to improve its effectiveness and sustainability.

Also, the women were encouraged to revive and strengthen their advocacy efforts in remote communities across the district. The objective of this capacity building engagement is to strengthen the Network, enhance the skills and confidence of its members, and support them to continue to provide the appropriate leadership and advocate inclusive development.

The Network President, Mariama Sesay, together with the Financial Secretary and other executive members, expressed their sincere appreciation to NMJD and Trócaire for their continuous support. They also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Network’s operations and advancing its mission across Karene District.

NMJD has successfully completed its first phase of political leadership training and accompaniment for women in the Karene district, which was held in Kamakwie from July 29 to 30, 2026. 40 out of the 57 members of the Karene Women in Governance (KWiG) Network participated in the two-day session. They received guidance on improving their leadership structure, the operational effectiveness of the Network, and their dedication to continuous growth. The training also covered key topics like Advocacy Strategies and Political Campaigning. These sessions were led by the NMJD team.

The overarching objective of this training is to ensure the KWiG members demonstrate improved knowledge, skills and confidence to undertake local advocacy, and meaningful community campaigns. The President of the Network, Madam Mbaluza M.J Kamara, along with her 13-member executive team, reaffirmed their strong commitment to strengthening the Network and expressed gratitude for the support received from NMJD and Trócaire

Self-Protection Training for Women Human Rights Defenders in Kono District.

On 14th July 2026, NMJD, with support from the UN Peacebuilding Fund through Christian Aid, conducted a Training of Trainers on Self Protection for Women Human Rights Defenders under the Women’s Land for Peace Project. The training took place at the Women in Development Resource Center in Kissi Bona.
Madam Hannah Charles Alie reminded participants that “Knowledge is the first line of protection for women human rights defenders,” emphasizing the importance of equipping women with the right skills and awareness.

Women leaders from Fiama, Lei, Gbense, and Tankoro Chiefdoms, Kono District participated in the training, which covered human rights, protection frameworks, risk assessment, threat reporting, land governance, and legal protections under the Customary Land Rights Act, 2022, and the National Land Commission Act, 2022. Facilitators Rev. Sahr Christian Fayia and Mr. Gabriel Abu guided participants through interactive sessions and practical role play.
Participants are now prepared to replicate the training in their communities, helping to strengthen women’s leadership, promote peaceful communities, and support gender responsive land governance across Kono District.

NMJD Joins Partners in Commemorating 50 Years of EU–Sierra Leone Partnership.

On Friday, 17th July 2026, the Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD), as an implementing partner of the EU funded Projects, joined other European Union partners in Freetown to commemorate 50 years of partnership between the European Union and Sierra Leone.

The event, held at the Family Kingdom auditorium, brought together delegates from EU member states and implementing organisations to reflect on the contributions of the European Union to national development through impactful projects across Sierra Leone. Partners were provided the opportunity to share experiences on programme delivery and highlight the positive outcomes emerging from EU supported interventions.

NMJD was accompanied by a delegation of youth leaders and young entrepreneurs, all beneficiaries of the YouLead Project funded by EU through Christian Aid Sierra Leone, which continues to provide skills training, leadership empowerment, and entrepreneurship development for hundreds of youths in Kono and Falaba Districts. Their participation enabled discussions on entrepreneurship and skills development, agribusiness and livelihoods, and migration, with emphasis on how EU support can help address these challenges.

Panel discussions facilitated engagement among stakeholders, including the Minister of Youth Affairs, the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, and EU country programme officials. The exchanges centred on strengthening youth empowerment initiatives and enhancing coordination among partners.

NMJD values its partnership with the EU and remains committed to implementing impactful projects that benefit communities.

NMJD is inviting Expressions of Interest for a new study on aligning Sierra Leone’s Critical Minerals Strategy (2026–2031) with the EU Critical Raw Materials Agenda. This consultancy will assess investment opportunities, responsible sourcing, and sustainable governance in our minerals sector.

If you’re an experienced researcher with strong analytical skills and a passion for transparent, inclusive mineral governance, we encourage you to apply.

📅 Deadline: 31 July 2026, 12:00 GMT
📧 Submit via email: [email protected]
📍 Or deliver to: NMJD, 10 Nylender Street, Aberdeen, Freetown

For more information follow the link below
https://www.nmjdsl.org/expression-of-interest-eoi-for-study-on-aligning-sierra-leones-critical-minerals-strategy-2026-2031-with-the-eu-critical-raw-materials-agenda-investment-opportunities-and-sustainable-go/

Innovation Grant Pitching Under the Women’s Land for Peace Project Begins in Kono District

Under the Women’s Land for Peace Project, supported by the UN Peacebuilding Fund through Christian Aid and implemented by NMJD, women‑led CBOs in Kono District are advancing innovative solutions to address local challenges through a competitive Innovation Grant initiative.

Twenty‑five women‑led groups submitted proposals, which were assessed using an Innovation Assessment Tool. A District Working Group reviewed all submissions and shortlisted ten strong proposals for the next stage.

On 6th July 2026, five of the shortlisted groups participated in the first Innovation Grant Pitching Session. They presented their ideas to an independent panel, outlining the community challenges their innovations aim to address, the expected benefits for women, alignment with project priorities, and the potential for sustainable impact.

The remaining five groups will pitch in the second session soon. After both rounds, scores will be consolidated to select the final grant recipients.

As leadership expert Joseph Baba Ansumana reminds us: “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” These women are demonstrating leadership and innovation by developing practical solutions that promote peace, economic empowerment, and sustainable development.