By Davida Spaine-Solomon

Port Loko District, 5th December 2025- Fatmata Tejan Kanu still remembers the day fear pushed her into hiding. At 21, with her education on the line and debt hanging over her head, life felt like it was closing in on her.

“I was ashamed,” she said. “I didn’t know who to turn to.”

Today, she sits among other women in her community with a notebook in hand, confidently contributing to discussions about money, leadership, and accountability. What changed her story  and that of many others in Port Loko  is a small community savings group known as the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), supported by Irish Aid.

For Fatmata, joining the VSLA meant access to a soft loan that helped her pay her college fees and regain control over her life. But beyond the money, it gave her something deeper.

“I can now speak in public without fear,” she said. “I understand how to plan, how to save, and how to ask questions when things are not clear.”

In a district where gender based violence remains a painful reality for many women and girls, financial dependence often keeps survivors trapped in silence. The VSLA is quietly changing that  one woman at a time.

For 52-year-old widow Kadiatu Sheriff Kamara, the savings group came at her lowest point. After losing her husband, she struggled to keep her household running. Feeding her children and paying school fees became daily battles.

“There were days I did not know where the next meal would come from,” she said.

Through the VSLA, she rebuilt her small business. Today, she proudly sends her children to secondary school and has found her voice in community discussions.

“I no longer feel useless,” she said. “I can stand for myself and for other women too.”

The ripple effect of the programme is also touching young people. Sixteen-year-old Isatu I. Sesay once had little interest in school or leadership. Today, she leads a community football team after receiving training through the project.

“I learned that being a leader is about discipline and respect,” Isatu said. “Now I want to help other girls believe in themselves.”

These stories were shared during the recent European Union Bus Tour, which took partners, government officials, and the media across communities to highlight efforts addressing sexual and gender-based violence.

Speaking at one of the engagements, Irish Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Patrick McManus, said change begins when communities are empowered from within.

“When people understand their rights and have the means to support themselves, they are better placed to challenge abuse,” he said.

The Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi, said government is strengthening laws, supporting survivors, and working to ensure safe spaces are available across the country. Port Loko Mayor, Allieu Badara Tarawally, also pledged continued support at the district level.

In Port Loko, the link between money and safety is becoming clearer. When women can save, borrow, and earn their own income, they gain options. And with options comes the power to walk away from abuse, to speak out, and to protect their children.

This quiet movement happening in savings groups and community halls may not make loud headlines every day, but for women like Fatmata and Kadiatu, it is changing everything.

“It gave me back my life,” Fatmata said.

And with every meeting, every loan, and every voice that grows stronger, the cycle of abuse is slowly being broken