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DARE to Connect: Peaceful Relationships and New Perspectives for Families


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For the third time, our DARE project for couples has achieved what once seemed nearly impossible: conflicts are now being resolved peacefully, hundreds of children and adults have access to two to three meals a day, and children are able to attend school.

Thanks to the long-standing work of the social workers from Commit and Act Foundation Sierra Leone (CAF-SL), we’ve established lasting, trusting relationships with villages in three districts. The projects are carried out reliably and are deeply appreciated by the communities.


A flagship project with strong support

Our “DARE to Connect Training for Families” is our key project supported by funding from Germany. This year, we were able to double its reach, thanks to the generous support of the Schmitz Foundations, who contributed 75 percent of the required €50,000. The remaining 25 percent was provided by commit and act e. V.


Project goals

The project aims to sustainably improve the living conditions of families who are particularly affected by violence and poverty. The training supports both women and men in creating peaceful relationships, becoming positive role models for their children when it comes to handling conflict, and enabling their children to attend school regularly.


How it works on the ground

As part of the project, 36 social workers were trained to support couples in building peaceful relationships. In the districts of Bombali, Tonkolili, and Bo, a total of 216 “champion couples” participated in ACT couple training sessions. These couples then passed on what they had learned to 432 additional couples. In addition, all participants received prosocial training in group dynamics and ongoing supervision.

To strengthen long-term food and income security, the couples also received training in modern agriculture and worked together on leased fields.


Project impact in numbers

A final data survey in November 2024 clearly showed the long-term effectiveness of the project.


Before the project began women, men, and children reported that the basic challenges of daily life seemed nearly impossible to overcome:

  • Talking openly about problems

  • Sending children to school

  • Spending time playing with children

  • Resolving conflicts peacefully

  • Earning enough income for basic needs

  • Enjoying a fulfilling sexual relationship

  • Having enough food each day


After the project:

  • 75% of families reported no violence, and 25% reported almost none

  • 84% of families always had enough to eat, and 16% almost always

  • 77% of children always went to school, and 22% almost always

  • Parents reported playing with their children

  • Couples were satisfied with their sex life (previously they were not or barely at all)


Red: Physical violence / Yellow: Economic violence, no sex / Green: Neglect, no cooking / Black: Threatening remarks / Blue: Peace in the home
Red: Physical violence / Yellow: Economic violence, no sex / Green: Neglect, no cooking / Black: Threatening remarks / Blue: Peace in the home

Lasting change - Far beyond the project timeline

These figures impressively show how key processes like acceptance and conscious positive action affect all areas of life.

Generating income through agriculture now allows families to afford daily meals, something we often take for granted, however, in Sierra Leone, many people still suffer from hunger.

This change also eases one of the most common sources of conflict in couples: women accusing their husbands of not bringing in enough money, and men blaming their wives for spending too much on food. Both complaints reflect harsh realities, finding paid work is difficult, and inflation of up to 60% on staple foods makes it almost impossible to prepare nutritious meals on a tight budget. Now that couples cultivate their own food, they can not only feed their families but also cover school expenses for their children.

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Trust, change, and shared responsibility

Couples are proud of their shared achievements, despite the hard physical work (I’ve seen the fields myself). The trainings encourage new ways of interaction, which in turn lead to real behavioral change. Trust and joy are returning. These couples are now seen as experts in their villages and are often asked for advice during disputes. They take pride in passing on what they’ve learned to other couples in their communities.


Listening to the children

This time, it was especially important for us to include the children in the evaluation — the ones who suffer most from violence at home. They were interviewed separately from adults and confirmed both the dissatisfaction at the beginning of the project and the clear improvements at the end. The children now experience a peaceful home, their parents serve as role models, and the culture in the villages is changing.


Long-term impact - Since 2015

This is a remarkably sustainable transformation that continues to make a difference long after a project ends, something we’ve seen in reunions with couples who participated in our very first workshop in 2015.

In the communities who went through our programs people are more aware how to prevent violence and protect girls and women. And through a national radio discussion, thousands more people have heard about this work and about CAF-SL.


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