Aruna Sundiful is a 48-year-old man, community member, and a NOW relative in Nianahun, a small community located in the Jaluahun Chiefdom of Kailahun District in the Eastern region of Sierra Leone. Nianahun has an estimated population of 1,620, with agriculture and mining as the primary sources of livelihood. Prior to OneVillage Partners' partnership in the community, there was a lack of unity between Aruna and his wife.

After nine years, Jill has made the decision to step down as Executive Director of One Village Partners. Read about her experience working at One Village Partners and her message for friends and supporters!

At its core, Priority Voting is about empowerment. It shifts decision-making into the hands of the people who are most affected, reinforcing community ownership and accountability. This approach is a cornerstone of One Village Partners’ work, ensuring that development isn’t imposed but rather driven by those who know their needs best.

At One Village Partners, we’ve always believed that meaningful change starts with listening. Listening to communities. Listening to context. Listening to what impact really means on the community level. Beyond the numbers and assumptions.

What message would you like to share with our donors and partners?"

Don’t give up! Community-led intervention Works! Sustainable development begins with centering the participation and voices of the people. At One Village Partners, we believe in the transformative power of community-led solutions grounded in the wisdom, priorities, and collective determination of rural communities to create impactful, lasting wellbeing. Thanks to your generosity and partnership, this year, we are expanding our reach across Kono district and beyond. Together, we are empowering women in our partner communities to boost their income and food security, uniting communities to work to improve access to clean drinking water, sanitation, and education, and nurturing the next generation of leaders to build a more equitable future for all.

For over a decade, One Village Partners has worked alongside communities in Sierra Leone, fostering leadership, strengthening partnerships, and driving transformational change. Over the years, our impact has grown—not just in the communities we serve, but nationally and globally. With this growth came a realization: our visual identity needed to reflect who we are today and where we’re headed.

With shared missions to enhance collective well being across Sierra Leone, both organizations are enthusiastic that we can impact even more lives working together than we could individually. 

This February, let’s move beyond words. At OneVillage Partners, we see love as more than just a feeling, it’s a commitment to action, to supporting one another, and to making a real difference. Supporting sustainable change isn’t limited to financial contributions (though that’s always impactful!). Here are 20 meaningful ways you can stand with our community partners…

We’re thrilled to share that our approach to community-led development has been featured in the newly released book, Community-Led Development in Practice: We Power Our Own Change. This collaborative work, published by Routledge, brings together thought leaders and practitioners to explore how communities can take the lead in driving sustainable development.

When Yandohun began their journey toward sustainable change in 2016, with 668 people, they dreamed of the most essential improvements: safe, clean water and basic sanitation.

We’re thrilled to share that OneVillage Partners has been highlighted in an inspiring Global Citizen article titled “Seeds of Change: The Organization Amplifying the Voices of Sierra Leone’s Women Farmers.”

Built on our Theory of Change, LEAD enables community members to address pressing issues, from public health to food security, building a sense of ownership and collaboration essential for sustainable change.

At OneVillage Partners, we have long been committed to transforming lives in rural Sierra Leone through sustainable community-led development. Since our establishment as a National NGO in 2016, we have made significant strides in health, education, and agriculture, uplifting communities in the Kenema and Kailahun districts.

Every year on October 10th, we come together for World Mental Health Day—an opportunity to raise awareness of mental health issues and mobilize efforts to support mental well-being globally. While this day is crucial for advancing conversations on mental health, one group that often flies under the radar in these discussions is the aid and development industry.

The story of Grima is not just about the building clinic; it's about a community that came together, identified its needs, and took charge of its future.

Rooted in the principles of communities driving their own development, our approach focuses on creating lasting impacts that transcend generations. One of the communities that perfectly embodies this vision is Jokibu.

As Mother's Day approaches, we celebrate the remarkable journey of Musu Kebah, a proud graduate of our Nurturing Opportunities for Women (NOW) program. Through NOW, Musu embarked on a transformative path, not just in managing her finances and boosting her business, but also in discovering her inner leadership potential.

Mamie and Gbeka exemplify just how life-changing water and sanitation projects are in rural communities.

Watta Moriba is a 46-year-old single mother of five who lives in Gbeka. Like many mothers, Watta wanted to educate her children and save for the future. The family’s sole bread winner was her husband. Crisis hit in 2016 when Watta’s husband died, leaving her to fend for herself and her children.