Grassroots trust, grown into lasting change.
PRIDO-SL is a community-based organization working directly with farmers, women, youth and children across Northern Sierra Leone — turning climate-smart agriculture, environmental stewardship and inclusive development into resilient, self-reliant communities.
“Serving Communities with Trust”
Built by the communities it serves.
In 2010, a group of dynamic, like-minded members of the local communities came together to confront the barriers standing between their neighbours and a better life: education, livelihoods, environmental sustainability, climate resilience, food security, human rights, child protection and community development.
Their response was the Partners in Rural Integration and Development Organization – Sierra Leone (PRIDO-SL), a Community-Based Organization committed to improving the lives of vulnerable and underserved populations. True to its name, PRIDO's mission is grounded in community-led solutions — from capacity-building to direct service delivery, spanning sustainable farming, food production, environmental conservation, and the social and economic empowerment of women and girls. PRIDO also plays a vital role in integrating community peace-building processes.
Since its founding, the organization has grown into a key player in grassroots development, building resilient, inclusive communities across Northern Sierra Leone.
Brief Profile
- NamePRIDO
- Year founded2010
- HeadquartersMakeni, Sierra Leone
- Registration no.SL040822PRIDO15102
- Motto"Serving Communities with Trust"
- StatusCommunity-Based Nonprofit (CBO)
- Geographic operationBombali & Karene Districts
- Communities reached31
- Beneficiaries25,456
Six commitments that guide every project.
PRIDO's programming is organised around six connected priorities — because food security, gender equity and environmental health rise or fall together in rural Sierra Leone.
Environmental Conservation & Climate Solutions
Reforestation, land restoration and climate-smart practice at community scale.
Agriculture & Food Security
Improved varieties, agroforestry and fair market access for smallholder farmers.
Women Empowerment & Gender Equality
Skills, savings groups and leadership pathways for women and girls.
Child Education, Protection & Human Rights
Learning materials, safeguarding and advocacy for the most vulnerable children.
Sustainable Livelihood & Rural Development
Income diversification and enterprise support that reduces rural-urban migration.
WASH, Hygiene & Renewable Energy
Safe water, sanitation and clean-energy access for underserved communities.
From the nursery bed to the market stall.
A wide range of projects focused on sustainable agriculture, environmental protection and community development — designed and delivered alongside the people they serve.
Climate-smart farming techniques
PRIDO promotes agroforestry and regenerative agriculture to improve soil fertility, increase biodiversity and enhance crop yields — boosting productivity while ensuring long-term environmental sustainability.
Planting for income and carbon
Sustainable environmental protection through tree planting and beekeeping, contributing to carbon sequestration, land restoration and alternative income generation for local communities.
Skills, seeds and independence
In partnership with international organizations, PRIDO equips women and youth smallholder farmers with skills training, improved seeds and modern tools — enhancing food security and economic independence.
Schools and communities, planting together
By engaging schools and local communities in large-scale tree planting, PRIDO promotes environmental awareness and combats land degradation — vital work for restoring biodiversity and mitigating climate impacts.
Connecting farmers to fair markets
PRIDO establishes agricultural networks and distribution hubs that connect farmers to markets, ensuring fair value chains and economic sustainability — alongside essential inputs, extension services and training.
Learning materials and literacy
Provision of learning materials, literacy promotion and dedicated support for underserved school children across PRIDO's operating communities.
Water, sanitation and disease prevention
Community sensitization on water and sanitation, hygiene, and disease prevention — building healthier households across Bombali and Karene.
Bombali, Tonkolili & Karene Districts
Bombali (HQ: Makeni) & Karene (HQ: Kamakwie) — Northern Region
Karene,Tonkolili and Bombali districts sit in the northwest and northeast of Sierra Leone, bordering the Republic of Guinea. Together the two districts comprise thirteen chiefdoms, home to an ethnically diverse population — the Temne, Loko and Limba form the largest groups, alongside Fullah, Madingo, Mende and Susu communities who coexist peacefully under paramount chiefs, section chiefs, town and village chiefs, and religious leaders.
Despite Makeni,Magburaka and Kamakwie's importance as headquarter towns, basic services and infrastructure remain limited, and poor road networks constrain outreach into remote rural communities. Medical care is delivered through community health centres, with a single government referral hospital in Makeni. The districts sit within a savannah grassland habitat: rice, cassava and sweet potato are staple crops, while groundnuts, ginger, cashew and tobacco are the leading cash crops.
Most residents are subsistence farmers without access to improved farming practices, which — combined with deforestation and land degradation — drives persistent food insecurity and a heavy reliance on imported rice. It is this cycle that PRIDO's programming is built to break.
An integrated plan of action for rural livelihoods.
PRIDO's plan of action expresses a commitment to environmental protection, climate mitigation, food production, WASH integration, renewable energy, peace-building and improved rural livelihoods — implemented through multi-agency partnerships and a firm focus on strengthening community capacity.
Vision
A society where vulnerable groups — women, girls, children and youth — are provided the tools and resources to fight poverty, alongside development partners.
Mission
Empowering communities through education, human rights, child protection, sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship and inclusive development.
Approach
Community-led and participatory — ensuring communities are active drivers of change through transparency, accountability, social inclusion and justice.
Strategy
Inclusive and sustainable, ensuring vulnerable populations have the knowledge, resources and opportunities needed to thrive and contribute to national development.
Goal
To empower communities to achieve sustainable development, resilience, human rights and prosperity through education, agriculture and economic empowerment.
Alignment
Programming aligned with Sierra Leone's flagship "Feed Salone" development agenda and national/international policy commitments.
Core Values
Projects delivered with our partners.
- UNDP/SGP/GEF — Economic Tree Crop Planting & Beekeeping for Sustainable Environmental Protection through Climate-Smart Agriculture, Karene District.
- UNDP/SGP/GEF — Involving Schools and Communities on Reforestation to Strengthen Sustainable Farming and Climate Change Mitigation, Karene District.
- Trocaire / AAD-SL / EU — Increasing Rural Women's Participation in Climate-Smart Agriculture, Bombali District.
- APS Develo — Laboratorio di Cooperazione (L.E.A.F, Italy) — Local empowerment through agroforestry, organic regenerative and syntropic agriculture training, Karene District.
- VIVACE Studio Company — Climate-resilient techniques for smallholder farmers across seven communities, Karene District.
- CODE Regeneration Foundation — Permaculture design training and industrial-specific development support, Bombali District.
- Planting on Demand — School and community tree-planting for land conservation and agroforestry, Karene District.
- OCP Africa (with the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute) — Agronomic demonstration trials for cassava, rice, maize and groundnut across Bombali and Karene.
- PRIDO Community Support — Livelihood skills training in agriculture, bead-making, cotton processing, weaving, handicrafts and small business development.
- PRIDO Community Support — Women's savings groups and income-generating activities, Karene District.
- PRIDO Community Support — Gender equality promotion in community leadership and decision-making, Karene District.
- PRIDO Community Support — School-based initiatives, learning materials and awareness campaigns for vulnerable children, Karene District.
- PRIDO Community Support — Practical skills in agriculture, entrepreneurship, environmental conservation and leadership for young people, Karene District.
- PRIDO Community Support — Community-wide hygiene and sanitation awareness campaigns, Karene District.
Where we're stretched, and where we're headed.
Current challenges
Low crop yields and land degradation limit competitiveness in national and international markets. Modern tools, quality seed and agricultural extension services remain too costly or scarce for smallholders. The absence of organised processing and marketing centres deepens economic instability, driving rural-to-urban migration among women, youth and persons with disabilities — while limited information-sharing networks hamper the fight against pests, disease and climate impacts.
What's ahead
In the short term, PRIDO aims to grow its farmer groups from 50 to 1,000 — expanding cultivated acreage per group from 100 to 500 hectares using modern agroforestry and regenerative techniques. In the long term, we envision regional agricultural networks and strategically placed distribution hubs that give smallholder farmers real market access, paired with large-scale reforestation, carbon projects and continued peace-building work.
How we hold ourselves accountable.
Zero tolerance on bribery & corruption
PRIDO strictly prohibits offering, giving, soliciting or accepting any bribe, kickback or improper advantage — a standard that applies to all staff, board members, volunteers, consultants and partners.
Ethics, conduct & conflict of interest
Activities are conducted morally, ethically and in line with applicable law. Staff and volunteers must remain free of personal interests that could influence PRIDO business decisions.
Safeguarding
A zero-tolerance approach to abuse, exploitation, neglect and harassment, including Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) — protecting the safety, dignity and rights of women, children, youth and vulnerable populations.
Financial management
The highest standards of financial integrity, transparency and accountability, structured to comply with donor requirements, national regulation and international best practice.
Risk management
A systematic approach to identifying, assessing, mitigating, monitoring and reporting risks affecting operations, programs, staff, beneficiaries, assets and reputation.
Gender equality & inclusion
Equal opportunity for all — regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnicity, religion or background — with zero tolerance for discrimination, gender-based violence or harmful traditional practices.
Oversight and execution, clearly separated.
Board Members
- Approve the long-term plan, key programs and major partnerships; monitor performance against PRIDO's mission.
- Safeguard assets, approve budgets, and ensure legal compliance and risk management.
- Hire and evaluate the Executive Director, provide counsel, and act as alternate spokespersons when needed.
- Champion PRIDO in the community, recruit new board talent, and support fundraising and networking.
Executive Management Team
- Runs programs day-to-day, developing annual work plans, reports, and adjusting operations to meet targets.
- Maintains relationships with partners, donors and government bodies, ensuring staff follow policy and safety standards.
- Allocates budgets, supervises expenditure and drives efficiency improvements.
In practice, PRIDO's board focuses on governance, oversight and mission-guardianship, while the executive management team runs the organization, implements board decisions and reports back on progress.
A multidisciplinary team, rooted in the field.
A combination of multidisciplinary expertise, development vision and a firm commitment to excellence lets PRIDO act as a bridge of trust between development partners and the communities we serve. We don't just work as a team — we think big, move forward together, and turn opportunities into tangible results.
20+ years in environmental protection, agriculture & rural development
10 years coordinating field activities
30+ years in administration & logistics
13 years in agriculture & food security
10 years in education & skills development
6+ years in office management
6+ years on women's issues & gender empowerment
10 years in child education & welfare
8+ years in community-level social development
7+ years in food processing & value addition
18+ years in project data collection & analysis
10+ years in natural resource management
7 years in ICT
20+ years in child rights advocacy
8+ years in social work
Non-Executive Advisory Team
Deputy Director General for Research, Technology & Innovation, SLARI · 60+ published articles
Experience with the World Bank, EU, AfDB, IFAD, DFID, Plan Sierra Leone & Concern Worldwide
35+ years in sustainable agriculture & rural development, ICRISAT
Fully registered, independently verifiable.
PRIDO-SL is a legally incorporated nonprofit in Sierra Leone, registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission and licensed to operate by both district councils in which we work. Every certificate below can be viewed in full or downloaded as the original document for your due-diligence records.
Registered addresses reflect the details on file with each issuing authority at the time of registration and may differ from PRIDO-SL's current operating address. Auditors, donors and partners are welcome to request annual reports and audited financials directly at pridosl2010@gmail.com.
Trusted by government, and grown with allies.
PRIDO is registered with Sierra Leone's Corporate Affairs Commission and works alongside government ministries, national associations and international development partners.
Government & Legal Status
- Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)
- Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
- Ministry of Gender and Children's Affairs
- Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
- District Local Council
- National Revenue Authority
National Partners
- Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI)
- National Associations of Farmers of Sierra Leone (NaFSL)
- Action for Advocacy Development Sierra Leone (AAD-SL)
Invest in a future of equity, sustainability and hope.
PRIDO seeks support in the form of capacity-building, skills development and funding — resources that empower women and youth smallholder farmers, strengthen sustainable agricultural practice, and improve food security and livelihoods against the pressures of climate change and rising food prices.
We invite development partners to collaborate on our capacity-building initiatives, advocate for sustainable environmental management, and help build resilient agro-based communities across Sierra Leone.