In order to carry out humanitarian work to alleviate poverty and Yoga in villages outside Freetown and the provinces, two representatives of Isha Foundation based in India are currently in the country.

Zabbal and Marie Christine Jabr, both Lebanese nationals have spent the last three weeks visiting Bureh Town, Lakka and eight communities around Tiwa Island declared a wildlife Sanctuary by the UN.

Natalie told our correspondent in an interview that they are in the country on the auspices of the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA) of which Mrs. Rosham Ahmed is a member also one of the trustees at Isha Foundation.

According to them they said that this is there first time to come to Africa, but they disclosed that they have been working in the USA, Lebanon and the Middle East.

The first phase of their six weeks tour of duty in Sierra Leone will include uplifting and empowering individuals, communities, and the social and economical life with a focus on Tiwai Island and also evaluation of their work. And the second phase is teaching villagers agriculture and Yoga.

Marie Christine Jabr said, the program will bring the necessary charge of attitude in people and their environment in a much better way and provide them with agricultural techniques so that people will stop burning land.

The Foundation, she says, has existed for the last 25 years and is funded by over a million people worldwide who contribute to the foundations. Their work here will span over a one year period.

In another development Inner Engineering for Environmental Change has projects across almost every district in Sierra Leone and every county in Liberia and a leading role in the Green Actors of West Africa, the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA) has become a key contributor to the environmental movement in West Africa. Its vision is not only for environmental change but also to create motivated, conscious people to maintain the integrity of the nature in Africa. From interventions in refugee camps and returnee areas in Liberia to the reconstruction of the Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Sierra Leone, EFA’s work has been about addressing the consequences of the conflicts on the environment.

The 2007 IPCC (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) stern assessment report suggests that the African and Asian continents will suffer the most from the climate change. The poverty in Sierra Leone, the lack of awareness amongst the population and the lethargic attitude in development has been some of the main challenges to face. The reality was that years of conflicts have left the Sierra Leone deprived, uninspired, and with broken spirits and communities.

Conscious of the fact that poverty alleviation programs alone are not sufficient to bring in the pressing changes, EFA started looking into effective ways to uplift people’s spirit as well as equipping them with the necessary tools to take responsibility for their lives. As a result of this, early 2008 the Isha-EFA initiative for Africa was launched in partnership with the Isha Foundation in India.

As a rising economy, India is facing similar challenges. The conditions of the rural areas where more that 70% of the population lives are alike. It is based on this that EFA invited the Isha foundation as consultants to its projects so that the Sierra Leone can benefit from their successful experience in rural India.

The Action for Rural Rejuvenation project was launched in August 2003, by Isha Foundation. The project currently covers over 3200 villages with the various aspects of the project, touching the life of over five million people. Isha Foundation, is a non-religious, not-for-profit, public service organization, which addresses all aspects of human well-being. From its powerful yoga programs for inner transformation to its inspiring projects for society and environment, Isha activities are designed to create an inclusive culture that is the basis for global harmony and progress. This approach has gained worldwide recognition and reflects in Isha Foundation’s special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations.

The backbone of all this social work is the Inner Engineering program, Isha’s flagship program. A scientifically structured program, it aims at empowering people into effortless living by creating harmony in the body, mind and emotions. It presents simple but effective processes from the yogic science to release mental, emotional and physical blocks, purify the system and increase health and inner well being.

The Isha-EFA initiative for Africa has started in Sierra Leone early 2008. The project will happen in 3 phases, over one year. It aims at uplifting and empowering individuals, communities, and the social and economical life with a focus on Tiwai Island. Freetown will also benefit from the Inner Engineering programs to create the necessary goodwill in the society.