Report of the First Outreach Social Gathering

WhyCantWeGetMarried.Com West Africa Chapter took place on Monday 23rd February 2009 at the Mountain Rural District Secondary School, Regent Village in Freetown. Young people including came from various communities in rural and urban Freetown.

We began the social gathering by introducing the aims and objectives of WhyCantWeGetMarried.Com and everyone participating agreed to support the organization so that together we can break the chains of violence that affect us all. Everyone was also keen to support the WhyCantWeGetMarried.Com sensitization campaigns on promoting peace, respect and understanding amongst everyone.


Although LGBT issues in West Africa are undeniably obvious, and affecting many people in the region, the group agreed that it is too early and unsafe to promote LGBT human rights campaigns at present; we agreed to generically attempt to promote peace, respect and understanding for everyone and will consider LGBT Human Rights later on when the project has gained more credibility in Sierra Leone.

Other actions held throughout the day included peer-to-peer interaction and focused group discussions. We were also able to network with each other though getting-to-know you type games and discussions. We are excited to have these young people supporting out campaign because we believe they have a pivotal role to play in promoting peace, respect and understanding within our society.

Radio Programs on Citizen Radio

We broadcast three radio sessions on Citizen Radio in Freetown on the December 17th 2008, January 18th 2009 and February 3rd 2009.

Our program went to air at 5:30pm. with the hope of catching listeners at home.

We opened the program by introducing the aims and objectives of Why Cant We Get Married . Com West Africa Chapter. Our main topic was based on general acceptance and tolerance of every human being regardless of the age, religion, race, tribe, sexuality and gender. We raised awareness on the impact of acceptance and tolerance of all people as this can contravene traditional and social norms. For example, in Sierra Leone inter-religious marriage is prohibited between Islam and Christianity which are the two main religions. Likewise, in the area of sexuality marriages of same sex couples are frowned upon. The advocacy sessions were geared towards promoting peace, respect and understanding as we believe that this will enhance a sustainable platform for the attainment of equal rights and tolerance for all.

Towards the end of the radio programs callers shared the following opinions:
· People hope the program will have ongoing and sustainable impacts.
· They thought the project was educational as it opened peoples' minds towards general acceptance and tolerance.
· Some people frowned at the project, because they thought it seemed irrelevant to their lives.

In conclusion, there seemed to be obvious support for the project to continue, and strive for increased peace, respect and understanding amongst everyone regardless of age, gender, tribe and sexuality.

Sensitization Campaigns

We thought it was important to hold community sensitization campaigns about Why Cant We Get Married . com West Africa Chapter because it is everyone's responsibility to act peacefully, respectfully and with compassion towards everyone else. The community sensitization campaigns started in September 2008 and are still going strong. We engage in peer-to-peer interaction and focus group discussions with young people throughout various communities. We focus on young people because we believe that young people are the pillars of the nation that will foster the campaign and bring about a visible change in their communities. If we are to achieve sustainable peace, respect and understanding we must see young people as the solution that will enhance sustainable change in the society.

In addition to the community sensitization campaigns, we embarked on similar campaigns with schools and colleges as well.

Throughout January the West Africa Chapter has been busy doing sensitization campaigns with the following secondary schools;
- Collegiate School
- Sierra Leone Grammar School
- Convent Secondary School
- Hamadiya Secondary School
- Prince of Wales School

We were also able to campaign at the following colleges;
- Fourah Bay College
- Liccsal Business College
- Milton Margai College of Education and Technology

The sensitization campaigns included peer-to-peer interaction, distribution of informative hand bills, student empowerment discussions, and making presentations that promoted peace, respect and understanding during devotions and assemblies.


On December 2nd 2008 and January 20th 2009 we organized closed-door meetings with LGBT people in Freetown. We introduced the aims and objectives of WhyCantWeGetMarried.com and all present agreed to support the organization so that we can all break the chains of violence that affect our society. Those present are very happy to assist with WhyCantWeGetMarried.Com West Africa Chapter sensitization campaigns to promote peace, respect and understanding amongst everyone. We agreed that we are not going to start a LGBT Human Rights campaign in Sierra Leone as it is too early and not safe; so we agreed to promote peace, respect and understanding for everyone and will consider a LGBT Human Rights campaign for the future, once we have gained credibility for the project as an equal rights for all project in Sierra Leone.

First Radio Program Report

We hosted a radio program on Thursday 28th August 2008 on Citizen Radio in Freetown.

We opened the program by introducing the aims and objectives of Why Cant We Get Married . Com West Africa Chapter. Our main topic was based on general acceptance and tolerance of every human being regardless of the age, religion, race, tribe, sexuality and gender. We raised awareness on the impact of acceptance and tolerance of all people as this can contravene traditional and social norms. For example, in Sierra Leone inter-religious marriage is prohibited between Islam and Christianity which are the two main religions. Likewise, in the area of sexuality marriages of same sex couples are frowned upon.

There have been many hate-based attacks and discrimination for individuals in an inter-racial, inter-religious or same sex relationship. The advocacy sessions were geared towards promoting peace, respect and understanding as we believe that this will enhance a sustainable platform for the attainment of equal rights and tolerance for all.

Towards the end of the radio programs callers shared the following opinions:
· People hope the program will have ongoing and sustainable impacts.
· They thought the project was educational as it opened peoples' minds towards general acceptance and tolerance.
· Some people frowned at the project, because they thought it seemed irrelevant to their lives.

In conclusion, there seemed to be obvious support for the project with people wanting to join the campaign and end the prejudice and discrimination affecting so many on our.