Who We Are

WAYout works in Sierra Leone and is a UK registered charity 1123777. We are managed by trustees, have nine paid staff in Sierra Leone. We have four patrons- Frank Turner, Ellen Thomes, Nick Hornby and Mark Thomas and we also have two ambassadors- Jamie Webb from the Joe Strummer Foundation and Nathaniel Sesay aka Mash P. Please check out their pages.

WAYout was founded in 2008 by Hazel Chandler MBE, filmmaker and Michael Chandler who was a DJ at that time. Michael has since stepped down as chair of trustees but without him WAYout would not exist. Thank you Michael

We are always looking for new trustees and supporters

Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world. Over a decade of conflict left 20% of children without a primary carer. Over half the population is under 18 and 60% are unemployed. Sierra Leone continues to progress slowly against development indicators, ranking 175/187 in the 2011 Human Development Index (HDI). Despite notable progress towards many Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the country is not expected to attain the majority of them. Poverty is widespread and inequalities pervasive, especially gender. While achievements, such as improved access to primary school education, maternal and child healthcare, supply of electricity and ongoing construction of high volume roads have been made but development progress is slow, especially for the most poor/vulnerable.

WAYout works with young people suffering the effects of poverty and conflict. Working in some of the most deprived areas. The charity will be working initially, but not solely, in Sierra Leone, and will be looking at opportunities to link young people in the UK with those in other countries.