International Service is set to expand its Africa programme to three new countries

Our newly-recruited team are about to embark on the exciting process of extending our work for the first time into Ghana, Sierra Leone,
and Mozambique.

Building on our well-established work in West Africa (a region which is home to 50% of the world's least-developed countries and poorest populations), Niagia Santuah and Kombah Pessima will lead the development of our work in Ghana and Sierra Leone.

Niagia Santuah - a Governance Specialist with a background in health and education - says he is convinced that there is "a growing commitment worldwide to be 'one another's keeper.'"

In particular, the weakness of civil society organisations and governmental institutions is a major block to the successful and effective delivery of economic and social development in West Africa.

Therefore, the programme will focus on providing support to government and civil society organisations in each new country.

Kombah Pessima - who will lead the development of our programme in Sierra Leone - understands how important it is to support organisations to be effective so that they can deliver projects and programmes that make a real impact.

He says "it is going to be a huge challenge over the next nine months... but I consider myself fortunate to be part of this process."

Our expansion into Mozambique follows the successful projects undertaken in Brazil by our former volunteer Samora Vuma.
Samora - who has a background in agronomy and development - is originally from Mozambique and will be looking to share learning and develop links between his country and Brazil.