Sierra Leone Action Mission (SLAM) is a grass-roots Winnipeg-based project of the Canadian Registered charity Accountable Development Works. Starting out as a humanitarian collaboration between Jason Dudek, originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba and Finda Kamara, a resident of Koidu, Sierra Leone, the Pearl Dudek Centre for orphans focused on rescuing children orphaned or disabled because of the blood diamond civil war raging from 1991 until 2002. Initially serving a complement of 20 orphans, the needs and services expanded during the Ebola epidemic of 2014 and 2015, to now serve over 40 orphans with food, clothing, shelter, and education.
- SLAM is totally volunteer operated by a small committee of dedicated professionals with nearly 100% of the tax-deductible donations going directly for the operation of the orphanage and school.
- SLAM provides funding for the orphanage called the Pearl Dudek Centre (PDC) which was started in 2006 and the school called Pearl Dudek International Academy (PDIA) which commenced operation in 2021.
- Through its orphanage and support for post-secondary students, SLAM cares for over 40 children. SLAM helps to transform impoverished children into healthy, happy, and empowered students through participant-led drama and sports activities, counseling, and the provision of basic needs.
- Education is costly and not readily available in Sierra Leone. The Pearl Dudek International Academy (PDIA) currently offers classes to over 80 students from kindergarten through grade six. Our longer-term goal is to offer a full kindergarten through grade 12 curriculum of high-quality education. PDIA vision is to provide a good education free to orphans and at a modest cost to families of limited financial means.
Our Values:
Subsidiarity: Subsidiarity is based upon the autonomy and dignity of the human individual, and holds that all other forms of society, from the family to the state and the international order, should be in the service of the human person. SLAM encourages and facilitates local leadership and empowerment of children and staff of PDA and PDIA.
Social Justice: Provision of support for those whose lives have been traumatized by war, disease, and poverty.
Inclusivity: Services to children are based on their needs. PDC and PDIA services are offered without discrimination as to gender, race, religion, culture, or nationality.
Faith: Our mission and our work are guided by our faith. SLAM began as a grass-roots charity in the Roman Catholic Parish of St. Bernadette in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It has since expanded its reach to parts of Canada and the United States of America.
Sustainability: Our longer-term objective is to enable the orphanage and school to have secure, sustainable financial resources.