Partnerships

Partnerships

One World Link works with many other organisations and groups to bring benefits to our communities. We are not a fund-raising organisation but we have facilitated the funding of projects in Bo by other organisations.

Schools
Our links between schools are strictly about education and friendship – see our Education pages. A number of schools in the UK have raised money for their linked school in Bo for such projects as providing a well (seen as a gift between friends); in such cases OWL has channelled the money on their behalf.

Health
Our health link has grown out of a midwifery training programme. This has expanded to improving the health care facilities within Peripheral Health Units including funds for the conversion of an old labour room to a basic laboratory. Our plans include distance training in midwifery and other essential skills. OWL has also provided a channel for funds to the Bo Children’s Hospital.

Waste Management
One World Link initiated a solid waste management project with Bo City Council and obtained funding from UNDP and British aid. As a result of the success of the initial project it has been expanded and extended to other cities and is managed by Welthungerhilfe. Two OWL specialists continue to provide expert advice.

British Council
OWL’s link schools have benefitted from British Council funding through their Connecting Clasrooms for Global Learning initiative – CCGL. This has enabled reciprocal teacher visits and exchange projects which all aim to broaden teacher and pupil understanding of global issues. An emphasis is placed on teaching Core Skills through an issue connected with the Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals.

Rotary
Rotary clubs in the UK, including Kenilworth, Warwick and Southam 2000, have donated funds for important civil projects in Bo. Examples include several projects for water & schools and a solar power plant for Bo Children’s Hospital. The success of these programmes has been helped by the support of OWL.

Commonwealth Local Government Forum
The Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) works to promote and strengthen democratic local government across the Commonwealth and to encourage the exchange of best practice. OWL has had a long relationship with CLGF which has been particularly supportive of the waste management and planning initiatives that OWL has been supporting in Bo.

Commonwealth Association of Planners
The Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) is a major global institution in planning. CAP currently represents over 40 000 planners from 27 countries throughout the Commonwealth including African, Asian, Australasian and Caribbean countries. CAP has been a strong supporter of OWL’s urban planning work in Bo, has provided funding to support this work and awarded us an international award in 2019.

Prince’s Foundation for Building Community
HRH The Prince of Wales’s Foundation has worked for over twenty years to promote and demonstrate principles of traditional urban design and architecture. It has developed a “Rapid Urbanisation Toolkit” to support rapidly growing cities. Through links with OWL, Bo was selected as a pilot city to trial this toolkit. This has led to a number of workshops on urban planning being held since 2017 with Bo City and Bo District Councils to help develop a spatial plan for the city.

Turley
Turley is a national planning and development consultancy operating across the UK. Turley has a Charitable Trust which supports a range of projects including in Sierra Leone. CSR & Planning Director, Bob May has visited Sierra Leone on many occasions to support projects and deliver training in urban planning. Bob has supported OWL to deliver various planning initiatives in Bo, including work on the “Rapid Urbanisation Toolkit” in conjunction with the Prince’s Foundation.