Contact & FAQ’s

Nigel Hyde first went their straight after the brutal civil war, in 2003.  Having worked in many developing countries he concluded that it had the most chronic problem he has seen.  After 2 years of research looking at the slum problem, he gave up his role leading Mission Direct (which he founded in 2004 and has taken over 3,000 self-funding volunteers to help the world’s poor).  He’s also mobilised over 400 people to visit Sierra Leone and build schools, clinics, shelters, wells, toilets and more.

International indices typically rank Sierra Leone as one of the poorest nations on earth, lowest life expectancy, highest endemic corruption, highest infant mortality, lowest literacy levels…  Whilst the country survives through international aid, little makes it to help the 500,000 slum dwellers of Freetown.

Every family that receives a home will grow in dignity, health and education.  The significantly better surroundings will enable them to make the most of employment and education opportunities and be able to contribute to their community in a new way.

From our discussions, we understand that the government has no plan for a low cost home programme.  Whilst an unpublished report was done, funded by DFID, in 2015, no plan has yet transpired.  Once we have delivered a replicable and sustainable way of doing things, we expect significant agencies like the World Bank and Africa Development Fund will want to help multiply the work.  Over the next 10 years, it is hoped this initiative will be a catalyst to life change for tens of thousands of people.

Ebola is a truly devastating disease that had the potential to bring Sierra Leone to its knees.  It brought fear among the people and neighbours closing their borders.  International flights (like BA) cancel coming, trade declines and economic activity reduces even more.  The last case was in November 2015.

One strand to Home Leones plan is to bring corporate teams and visionary people to Sierra Leone.  To understand the problems and to help build the homes, schools, businesses and clinics so urgently needed.  Your teams are welcome to come now, so get in touch today and find out more.

Ebola helped people in the world know where Sierra Leone is and understand some of the devastating consequences of living in that nation.  It increases the risks and means fewer people will travel there.

We met the former Minister of Infrastructure, Works and Housing. He note the government had done nothing in its first 5-year term and had no plans or budget to do anything in the second term.  The Minister of Lands controls a very unhealthy situation as land is at a premium in the Freetown area.  The population density is low as there are few high rise buildings.

Freetown City Council have addressed the issue in their structure plan so know they need 280,000 by 2028 (including a backlog of over 150,000).  They have no resources allocated to address the problem.  The Vice President, presidents chief of staff and Head of National Security have visited Destiny village and have noted how inspired they were.

We concluded that the core houses will contain a parlour, front veranda, 2 bedrooms, an open kitchen, wash area, wash rooms and latrines. Drinking and non-drinking water is piped to each home and sanitation is covered by piping waste to distant cess pits and effective drainage. Each family is allocated an allotment to grow food. The 2 bedrooms and a parlour are inside the private space. The kitchen and wash up space is in a public/private setting. Each house has a toilet that can be squat or sit and each house shares a shower/wash facility with one other house. Each compound will measure 29m x 29m, adjusted a bit for tree locations.

That houses should be organised in compounds of 8 homes with a community space between them which is available for community activities such as washing or football.

We are using bricks made of compressed soil and 10% cement – a bit like lego blocks.  we need a brick making machine to increase output for which we need a gift of £6,000.

We have set a budget of £5,000 per house.  In other countries our experience suggested they run between £2,500 and £6,000 depending how basic or otherwise they are made.  Our detailed costings showed the first 8 houses cost about £4,500 per house in direct material and labour.

In Sierra Leone, cement is very expensive so we are looking at ways to minimise its use.  Additional site funds are needed to cover things like land clearance, digging wells or bringing water to site and making basic roadways.

Due to Freetown’s vast housing needs, a detailed and in depth process of beneficiary selection has been developed in order to identify firstly, those most vulnerable and secondly, those most likely to thrive within the context of Destiny Village. Along with determining whom, this process has also helped to illustrate more specifically how individuals are impacted by their living conditions and what their relocation needs may be. This process has been designed for replication to scale with the view that thousands of families are expected to apply and to be relocated to new homes.

Yes, it’s important they have a stake in the property.  They will pay roughly what they pay in the slums and will also be required to contribute some community service as agreed with the village leaders.  At the end of 20 years, they will own their own house.

In principle yes.  Unfortunately, the land the slums are on, cannot be acquired and if we built there to help people, unscrupulous landlords would throw the people off and take possession.  The land registry in Sierra Leone has burned down 3 times in 10 years and transferring land title is not an easy thing.  That is also why building businesses to provide employment and provide low cost micro-loans is a key part of the plan.