Transforming communities and biodiversity through sustainable development and environmental stewardship in Sierra Leone since 2016.
Discover the origins and journey of SHADE NGO in Sierra Leone.
The Sustainable Human and Environmental Development Agency (SHADE) was established on January 1, 2016, to continue community forestry, climate change, and sustainable land management initiatives started by Bioclimate/West Africa (BWA) under the USAID-funded STEWARD project (2012–2016) in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. Initially registered as BWA (Reg. no. NNGO/083, SLANGO Reg. no. 1940), it was renamed SHADE after the project ended. SHADE inherited assets, including vehicles, motorbikes, camera traps, and digital equipment, to support ongoing community efforts. Since 2017, SHADE has sustained work in Tambaka Chiefdom, Karene District, using its own revenue. We are currently seeking partners to develop the Sustainable Assisted Natural Regeneration, Reforestation, and Agroforestry Initiative (SANNRAI) for 30-year carbon financing. Learn more about SANNRAI.
Transform the landscape, biodiversity, and humanity through sustainable land use practices and sustainable livelihoods.
To transform communities, humanity, and biodiversity through community-led initiatives in community forestry, rehabilitation of degraded areas, education, economic empowerment, advocacy, sustainable livelihoods, and agroecological practices that improve living standards and the environment.
Explore the core pillars of SHADE’s work in sustainable development.
SHADE is registered with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (Reg. no. NNGO0065) and the Sierra Leone Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (SLANGO). To comply with local content and decentralization policies, SHADE is also registered with the Kenema, Western Area, Karene, and Kailahun District Councils. We collaborate with the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and other ministries to align with national development goals.
Learn how SHADE drives change and the results we’ve achieved since 2016.
SHADE is a non-religious, non-political NGO dedicated to community development, rights-based environmental campaigns, and inclusive land governance advocacy. Our work is built on three key pillars: community forestry, sustainable livelihoods, and education, with cross-cutting themes of gender and youth empowerment. We engage with public and private sectors to enhance living standards and protect the environment.
Since its inception, SHADE has supported communities through initiatives like educational support for rural students excelling in National Primary School and Basic Education Certificate exams, women’s savings and loan schemes, and capacity building in cacao and coffee cultivation. In 2017, SHADE partnered with the Sierra Leone Poverty Alleviation Agency to implement UNICEF-funded nutrition programs addressing Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM), Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), and Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM).
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