Lady Ellen Women’s Aid Foundation -Sierra Leone (LEWAF-SL) is an independent, non-political, non-sectarian and not for profit making National Non-Governmental Organisation founded in 2008 but officially established in 2014. It was founded in memory-of and in continuation of the mission of a true humanitarian Norwegian Philanthropist called Ellen Pauline Kise.
Ellen had continually shown deep empathy about the appalling conditions of people living in abject poverty in the poorest countries in Africa where she has visited and worked including Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Somalia, Sudan, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Whilst in Sierra Leone from 2001 to 2003, very close to her heart were especially Women and Children living in abject poverty and are exposed to Gender Based Violence, inequality and all forms of abuses and sexual exploitations in the homes and communities with limited or no access to Justice, Economic opportunities and Social safety nets; and whose poor circumstances have been further exacerbated by brutal conflicts/War. Ellen had been relentlessly finding ways and means to continue to directly help poor and vulnerable Women and Girls in whatever form this might possibly be. Ellen could not live long to fulfil her ambitious mission, she died in 2008 after a prolong battle with cancer. Hence the foundation is established in her memory and in continuation of her mission to end “Violence against Women and Girls” in Sierra Leone.