Volunteer in Sierra Leone

Welcome and greetings from Sierra Leone. I would like to make sure you're well prepared for a wonderful placement in our beautiful country.

There are two seasons determining the agricultural cycle. November to April is the dry season and the best holiday weather. May to October is the rainy season.

There is also the Harmattan period of during the months of December to February when very dry winds arrive from the Sahara, along with a haze of dust, and the night time temperature seldom dips below 16 °C.

There are no restrictions on clothing for men or women, with casual attire such as sleeveless shirts, flip flops and sandals the norm. Lightweight and light-coloured cotton clothing is recommended due to the hot and humid climate.

During the rainy season it is advisable to wear wet-weather clothing, while a light jersey or jacket may be needed in the months when the Harmattan winds blow.

Abass Koroma shows off the wax made from his bees. As a beneficiary of VSO partner organisation CCYA (Centre for the Coordination of Youth Action), Abass as been given support to set up his bee keeping business

Our country has beautiful green forests, hills and beaches which are situated in the capital city Freetown and other interesting places can also be found in the hinterland.

We look forward to welcoming you in our beautiful country sweet Salone!

Rajeev Vishwakarma

Ebola

Even the loftiest of mountains begins on the ground - tree planting with students at Samson Primary School in Mulanje, Malawi — Even the loftiest of mountains begin on the ground - tree planting with students at Samson Primary School in Mulanje, Malawi

Sierra Leone is one of the three states in the Mano River Union in West Africa that suffered the recent outbreak of Ebola.

The disease has been eliminated and brought to zero cases of infection.

The country is in the recovery stage and lots of input from government and agencies are being put in place to make sure we remain Ebola-free.

VSO conducts a risk assessment prior to volunteer placements and use qualified professional doctors. There is an agreement with West African Rescue Association (WARA), in collaboration with International SOS, to evacuate volunteers in times of health emergencies.

Stories from Sierra Leone

Dr Alex Burns, vso volunteer GP at Makeni Government Hospital, teaches colleagues and students the importance of using partographs..

Rebuilding health services after Ebola

VSO volunteers have returned to Sierra Leone after ebola and are working to rebuild health services after such a huge trauma.

Karitu Joe mother and children in Sierra Leone | VSO

Justice for women who face violence in Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone domestic violence tends to be seen as a 'private issue'. In Kenema, VSO has been supporting local organisation FINE Salone to raise awareness of women's rights and the law, change attitudes, and support survivors to prosecute their perpetrators.

Volunteer Ishamail competes at the Olympic Games

Volunteer Ishamail Kamara, who was on placement with ICS in his home town of Makeni, Sierra Leone in 2013, represented his country in the 100 metre sprint at the recent Olympic Games in Rio.

Throughout the Ebola outbreak, people wary of health centres stopped accessing the services on offer with tragic consequences – including a 30% increase in maternal deaths and a 24% increase in newborn deaths.

Meet the Team

We are sending our first volunteers since the World Health Organisation declared Sierra Leone to be Ebola-free, this July. To stay updated on upcoming vacancies in this country and others, subscribe to our newsletter by filling in the form below.

Thinking of volunteering in Sierra Leone?

Below is a list of all our current volunteer opportunities. Some of these jobs are available to nationals only. Others are available for candidates from anywhere in the world.

The application process at a glance:
Simply search for a role, click on the title and fill in our application form. Once we’ve received your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email explaining next steps.

Please note that our capacity does not allow us to accept CVs via email or to contact unsuccessful applicants personally.

Title	Town	Apply by
Community Engagement Specialists	Sierra Leone -Pujehun District	5 Jun 2023
Sign Language Volunteer	Western Sierra Leone	12 Jun 2023