Organization
Disability Empowerment Movement Sierra Leone(DEMSL)
Disability rights organisation founded in 2016 by Eleanor, an amputee activist from Sierra Leone, to improve the lives of children and adults with disabilities, orphans, and street children through mobility aid, education, and sports. DEMSL distributes wheelchairs and crutches, supports disabled children's school access, and advocates against discrimination.
About
The Disability Empowerment Movement Sierra Leone (DEMSL) was founded in 2016 by Eleanor, a disability rights activist who lost her lower leg after stepping on a landmine during Sierra Leone's civil war. Based in Freetown, DEMSL works to improve the lives of children and adults with disabilities, orphans, and street children by providing practical support and fighting discrimination.
What They Do
DEMSL distributes wheelchairs, crutches, and other mobility equipment to people with physical disabilities who cannot access or afford them. The organisation supports disabled children's access to education, organises sports activities to build community and confidence, and raises funds internationally through endurance events. DEMSL also runs programmes for orphans and vulnerable children affected by disability, conflict, or poverty, and advocates at community level against the exclusion of people with disabilities.
Who They Serve
DEMSL serves children and adults with physical and other disabilities in Sierra Leone, with a particular focus on those in Freetown and surrounding communities. The organisation also supports orphans and street children, recognising the overlapping vulnerabilities affecting marginalised young people across the country.
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