The Ministry of Social Welfare has concluded a two-day induction and orientation programme for 131 newly recruited social workers, aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to support vulnerable individuals, families and communities.

Held from 7–8 September 2026 at the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone Conference Hall in Freetown, the programme was conducted under the theme “Strengthening Families for a Resilient Sierra Leone.” It introduced the recruits to the ministry’s mandate, organisational structure, policies, legal frameworks and strategic priorities, with emphasis on professional ethics, accountability and effective service delivery.

Minister of Social Welfare Melrose Karminty described the recruitment as an important step in strengthening the ministry’s human resource capacity but noted that more personnel are still needed to meet the country’s growing social welfare needs.

She highlighted the role of social workers in addressing child protection, violence against women, substance abuse, human trafficking, irregular migration, children in conflict with the law, abandoned and abused children, disability and family welfare.

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Karminty urged the recruits to see their appointments as more than employment and to “build a career and impact lives.” She said they would subsequently be deployed through a process designed to match their skills with the ministry’s needs, while stressing the importance of performance, results and quality service delivery.

HRMO Director of Management Services Saidu Bockarie commended the ministry for organising a specialised induction focused on the responsibilities and challenges of social work. He reminded the recruits that Civil Service employment carries a responsibility to serve with professionalism, integrity and commitment, and encouraged them to understand the Civil Service Code and Rules, their job descriptions, relevant policies and the Civil Service Competency Framework.

UNICEF Sierra Leone Representative Mariko Kagoshima described social workers as a critical bridge between vulnerable people and government social services. She reaffirmed UNICEF’s support for strengthening social welfare services and reaching families in need.

UNFPA Deputy Country Representative Sibeso Mululuma urged the recruits to uphold empathy, confidentiality and professional ethics, particularly when working with vulnerable people and survivors. She highlighted their role in supporting women, children, adolescents, persons with disabilities and older people, and reaffirmed UNFPA’s commitment to capacity building, mentorship, referral pathways and psychosocial support.

Representing MoPED, Senior Planning Officer Ibrahim Sorie Jalloh encouraged the recruits to be diligent, committed and responsive in serving citizens, while stressing continued collaboration between MoPED and the Ministry of Social Welfare.

The new recruits pledged to apply the knowledge gained and maintain professionalism in their areas of deployment.

The induction covered child protection, disability inclusion, anti-human trafficking, family welfare, mental health and psychosocial support, as well as inter-agency collaboration in addressing complex social challenges.

The programme forms part of the Ministry of Social Welfare’s broader efforts to strengthen its workforce and improve the quality, accessibility and responsiveness of social welfare services for vulnerable people and families across Sierra Leone.