March 2025
Bintumani D-SL finances the course, which is run by the NGO “Swissability” at the National Reabiltion Center (NRC) in Freetown, in which six orthopaedic technicians learn how to produce so-called monolimp prostheses in five days. These offer a cheaper alternative to other prosthesis versions.

November 2024
We celebrated the opening of the orthopaedic workshop in a festive ceremony. Guests included the Paramount Chief, the mayor of the city, instructors and teachers of ESW, many patients of the young technicians, friends and guests from Germany, including Dr. Jacob Ladipoh, Dr. Sönke Sönnichsen and Norbert Hoffmann.

On this occasion, Dr. Sönke handed over the certificates to the young technicians, who had successfully completed their initial training after 18 months. The orthopaedic workshop has an area of about 180 square metres and is divided into nine rooms. The six orthopaedic technicians can now produce numerous prostheses in these rooms.

The equipment of the rooms is to be improved by modern machines. Further applications are being submitted to the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

In order to improve the sustainable effect of shade on the house for the energy balance of the workshop, we planted 10 young trees.

Plastic recycling at NEXT CHANCE
The plastic workshop is getting bigger and better! We have started with the first attempts in the business and the production of plates for chairs and tables is in full swing. It’s interesting to see how it all comes together!

We visited the ENT practices that were being set up. In discussions with the two young doctors, further training was discussed. They will complete their training as an ENT specialist in Ghana for three years.

We also visited the dialysis department at Connaught Hospital. Here, many patients, financed and organized by us, receive dialysis treatments.

April 2024
In April 2024, Dr. Ladipoh and Norbert Hoffmann visited the two Bintumani projects in Makeni.
1. Development of the Enable Salone Workshop:
Within a short time, the partners of esw have significantly advanced the new building. They poured stones themselves and made concrete pillars. We are confident that the construction will be completed by the end of the project period, at the end of October 2024.
The visit to the five trainees also showed that they are very interested in their training and enjoy their work.

2. Development of the plastic concept of the NGO Next Chance:
We have been cooperating with the NGO “Next Chance” for two years. It started as a project to give women a new start after their prison stay. Mainly in the sewing workshop, where they earn part of their living with products.
Mr. Marah, the head of the NGO, has taken up our idea of plastic recycling. Plastic waste is a huge problem in Sierra Leone.
In cooperation with the German Embassy in Freetown, the NGO Next Chance has received a start-up grant of 8000€. With this sum, the first small devices could be purchased and the first products could be created. Norbert Hoffmann has given lectures on the problem of plastic waste at the two universities in Makeni as well as at some schools.
Next Chance has produced the first products and wants to continue experimenting.

3. ENT/ENT

January 2024
In recent years, we have worked intensively together on the future of esw. In cooperation with esw, we developed future scenarios to give help to more people with amputations and handicaps. A first step was the training of five young people who will support the senior technician Mr. Conteh in the future. The training is going well.

However, the cramped spaces at the current place of action had to be improved. An architect’s drawing of a new workshop house was available. With an application to the North-South Foundation (BMZ) for 10,000 € and our own funds of 12,000 € (Bintumani D-SL), we were able to start the construction of the workshop house.

March 2023
Our partnership with the NGO Light Salone Innovation and the Eastern Technical University, which we have built up in recent years, has ended. Interest from Kenema waned, and there was a lack of willingness to provide funds for the idea of EDUREC and the recycling of plastic. However, we are still in contact with Light Salone Innovation.
The solar project is being continued independently by the NGO Technik ohne Grenzen from Aachen.

The cooperation with the NGO Enable Salone Workshop (esw.) will be successfully continued.
Bintumani D-SL and Rotary-Kiel Fjord organize and finance the training of three women and two men as orthopedic technicians. The training takes place in Makeni and is organized and led by the experienced orthopaedic technician Ibrahim Mosto Conteh. Together with four teachers and trainers, the five young people are trained over 18 months.

Oct-Dec 2022
The NGO Light Salone Innovation and Eastern Technical University are continuing their EDUREC and Plastic Recycling projects. Another partner is the Technology Without Borders association with its group from Aachen in Kenema. The aim is to research the reuse of notebook batteries. These batteries are to be connected to form battery packs and supplied with energy for various purposes.

Workshop on 3D printing of hand prostheses
In November 2022, Bintumani D-SL organized a 3D printing course in Freetown. The workshop took place on the premises of the telecommunications company “Orange” and was carried out with the support of GIZ.
35 young people took part and learned how to produce mechanical hand prostheses with the help of a 3D printer. The course was led by Lars Thalmann from Xanten (Germany). He imparted both theoretical knowledge and practical skills to the participants. The basis was the open source initiative “Enabling the Future”.
A very successful and motivating course!

May-June 2022
The EDUREC and plastirecycling projects started in November 2021 will continue in Kenema with the NGO Light Salone Innovation

In Makeni, we have agreed on a partnership with the NGO “Enable Salone Workshop”. Preparation of a 3D printing course for the production of hand prostheses according to the principle of “enablingthefutur”

November 2021
Norbert Hoffmann in action in Kenema for EDUREC (Education profitable Energy) with the NGO partner Light Salone Innovation
Another project is being tackled: plastic recycling

May-August 2021
Another container transport is being prepared. This will be sent on its way to Freetown at the end of September.

The pediatric surgery planned for 2021 will be postponed to spring 2021.

Jan/Febr. 2021
Dr. Ladipoh discusses the further course of action in the cooperation with our project partners for 2021. Dates, for planned projects: Paediatric surgery, EDUREC workshops Biogas, development of Klin Salone initiatives. And much more.

2020-2021
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the planned courses on biomass, biogas and the “paediatric surgical missions” have been postponed to a later possible date.

Febr/March 2020
Once again, our doctors operated on over 80 children and adolescents in their pediatric surgical mission. It was the 11th action since the beginning. Many thanks to the team of 3 pediatric surgeons, a budding pediatric surgeon, an anesthiary nurse, a doctor and a coordinator and dolmescherin. The latter is also a member of “Lion for Lion”, our cooperation partner NGO in Sierra Leone.

Oct/Nov 2019:
The first self-built wind turbine in Sierra Leone was built in 5 days by about 35 young women and men. The wind turbine, created in a theoretical and practical workshop, takes its place at a school of our partner YDP (youth development project). It complements the local photovoltaic system in the sense of a hybrid solution.

2019
In February, our pediatric surgeons again operated on about 100 children in Freetown

In the spring, the EDUREC room at Milton Margai College was further established. N.Hoffmann held a number of workshops on the use of teaching and learning materials.

2018:
Dr. Ladipoh and N. Hoffmann travel to Sierra Leone in January.

Our team of doctors, “Pediatric Surgery” travels to Sierra Leone in March.Over the course of 2 weeks, more than 100 children are freed from their deformities in operations, some of which are very complicated.

EDUREC will be continued. For the “Biomass-Biogas” module, the first training systems will be installed in Konta Line in March. Engagement Global has been supporting the project since July 2018. The EDUREC network in Berlin organises curricula and teaching materials for the barefoot women training centre in Konta Line.

Engagement Global (bengo/BMZ) approves an initial project application for €50,000 for the EDUREC project. We have to raise 12500.00€ of it ourselves.

The “North-South Bridges” Foundation approves a project for Meni Curve. The “Karana” monitoring system can be used. This will allow barefoot women to better control the solar systems installed in the 50 houses installed last year and to intervene more quickly in the event of disruption.

Another container, loaded with many relief supplies, arrived in Freetown on 13.11.18.

The cooperation with the “barefoot women solar engineers” is terminated. You fraudulently failed to use €20,000 of the funds earmarked for the EDUREC project for the project. Charges against Ms. Kanu and Mr. Anaque (bw) have been filed with the police in Berlin and in Freetown.

on 29.11. and 30.11. the first EDUREC workshop took place in Freetown. Milton Margai College in Freetown was found as a partner and location. 30 stakeholders from all over Sierra Leone have been given an overview of the EDUREC concept.
A practical course on the construction and operation of a PV system was conducted by Dr. M. Hartmann.

2017:
Dr. Ladipoh and N. Hoffmann travel to Sierra Leone in January/February.

Our partner “barefoot women solar engineers” are installing solar systems for 50 houses, a school and the infirmary in Meni Curve, Sierra Leone. The project is financed by the Schmitz Foundation.

Preparations for the project begin
Information and training centre for renewable energies with decentralised small energy plants. EDUREC – EDUCATION RENEWABLE ENERGY CENTER

Another container transport in cooperation with our partner CVJM Rödinghausen is being prepared

Bintumani D-SL receives an award for the KARANA project in Meni Curve

2016
Preparation of a new project. EDUREC. EDUcation REnewable Energy Center with the partners “Milton Margai College” and the “barefoot women solar engineers”.

March/April 2016 in Sierra Leone: 4 Bintumani members continue the talks on Nov. 2015.

Participation in the Africa festival “KE NA KO” at Alexanderplatz, Berlin. Bintumani D-SL presented its activities there, in particular the current energy project.

Information event: “Opportunities for an improvement of living conditions in Sierra Leone” on 30.9.2016 in Berlin-Neukölln. With lectures on health by Dr. M.Wright and Dr. J. Ladipoh. Further lectures on renewable energies by Prof. Dr. M. Hartmann, Dr. T. Wolfram, K.Pellmann and N.Hoffmann.

Preparations for the “Meni Curve” project. Equipment of the village with 50 small-home systems as well as a school and an infirmary with renewable solar energy.

October: Another container (40 feet) is sent on its way to Freetown, Sierra Leone
Contents: Tools for woodworking and metalworking, computers and monitors, first aid kits and workshop equipment for training. Our partners, barefoot women solar engineers, Milton Margai College for Education and Technical, Youth Development Project, Lion for Lion, UBC-Church, are looking forward to the content.

December: The container has arrived at our partner “barefoot women solar enginers”. Club member Dietmar Schröder accompanied the distribution on site.

2014
Dr. Wright organizes and conducts another pediatric surgery mission in SL with colleagues.

Building an expanded network of many active people and NGOs in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone this year is joining forces to fight the virus in both Sierra Leone and Germany. In addition to raising funds for the necessary protection measures, it is important to combat hunger and economic decline.

Together with the Sierra Leonean Embassy in Berlin, we have sent protective suits and material for the staff of some hospitals in Sierra Leone as part of the Ebola relief effort.2015

The NGO network, which was established in 2014, is able to report its first successes. In the Ebola campaign, 6 of the NGOs raised about €170,000 in donations. Much of it has already been used for protection and life support.

Second meeting of many NGOs with the ambassador, Mr. J. Stevens, in Berlin. As a result, the message is intended to support the commitment of the various NGOs.

Preparations for further container transport with relief supplies for medical assistance and training. Fundraiser for heart surgery for nine-year-old Mohamed from Freetown Oct/Nov. Visit to the existing partnerships in Sierra Leone. Evaluation of the cooperation so far. Establishing new contacts, in particular on deaf schools and institutions for the promotion of decentralised plants for renewable energies.

2013
During the planning stay in Sierra Leone, Bintumani members Dr. J. Ladipoh and D. Schröder organize further cooperation with UBC. Bishop Pessima thanked the Bintumani Association for its long-term support of the hospital and the planned training center in which Mattru Jong
In a new cooperation with the YMCA Rödinghausen, the Youth Development Project in Sierra Leone is supported in equipping a carpentry workshop. With the container delivery (40-foot), the “women in action” project also gets computers and sewing machines for their school in Freetown.

2012
Delivery of a container with various goods worth 70000,00€ to Sierra Leone. Contents: 7000 glasses, a computer room equipment for Milton Margei College and div. clinical devices.
Dr. Wright organizes and carries out, with colleagues, a pediatric surgical mission in SL.

2011
President Koroma pays a visit to Berlin. In this context, Bintumani D-Sl organizes a program item for the President’s wife, Sia Nama Koroma. The children’s hospice Sonnenhof of the Björn Schulz Foundation in Berlin Pankow was visited.

2011
The student F. Polte and the vocational school teacher N. Hoffmann travel to Sierra Leone and conduct training courses during their three-week stay. At Milton Margai College/Freetown, they install a small PC network under the UBUNTU operating system and train the administrators there in network technology. Young female students are explained in a workshop about the possibilities of a business model. The OPEN STREET MAP project opens up the possibility of creating map material for tourism or other economic sectors.
Dr. Ladipoh and Miata Ladipoh visit our partners in Freetown and Mattru Jong and discuss further joint work.

2010
Dr. Wright organizes and conducts a second pediatric surgery mission in SL with colleagues.

2009
Dr. Wright organizes and carries out a pediatric surgery mission in SL with colleagues.

Federal President Horst Köhler awards Norbert Hoffmann the “Cross of Merit on the Ribbon of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany” for his social commitment, in particular to the Africa project. In a small ceremony, State Secretary Claudia Zinke presented the certificate to the Senior Study Councillor Norbert Hoffmann in the rooms of the Senator for Education, Youth and Science.

2008
Award for the project idea and the commitment of the trainees of the Hans Böckler School by the Theodor Heuss Foundation: Acting Democratically.
Dr. Ladipoh attended the Annual Conference of West African Surgeons in Freetown (February 2008). He also met representatives of UBC Sierra Leone. It was agreed to support the regional hospital in Mattru Jong (Bonthe District) in the expansion of basic equipment.
Two overseas containers were shipped to Freetown in October in cooperation with the Johannesstift piggyback association and GTZ.

2007
Work assignment – travel to Sierra Leone
Five trainees and five senior citizens under the direction of N.Hoffmann will travel to Sierra Leone in November 2007 as part of the ENSA programme.
Goals:

Visit to the training centre of the company FINIC, Mr. M.Kamara
Testing and handover of the well drilling rig to M.Kamara
Get to know the country and culture of Sierra Leone with its different facets
Dr. Ladipoh agrees with the Bishop of the United Brethren in Church (UBC), J. Pessima, for the establishment and support of a training center in Mattru Jong

2006
Bintumani enables our partner M. Kamara from the company FINIC a four-week stay in Berlin. During his stay in September, M.Kamara visited various training institutions to get ideas for implementation at his training workshop in Freetown. He discusses with us the workshop equipment, which is to be sent to Freetown in 2007. At the general meeting in Berlin in autumn 2006, we thanked GTZ employee Martin Brehm for his selfless commitment and support of our idea in Freetown.
We discussed and agreed on further partner projects with the bishop of the United Bretheren Church, Billy Simbo, during his visit to Berlin.

The actor and UNICEF ambassador for Sierra Leone, Dieter Pfaff, supports our commitment to Sierra Leone. He handed over his prize of 20000.00 €, in the show “Star Quiz” with Jörg Pilawa in December 2006, to the project.

2005
Dr. Ladipoh and N.Hoffmann visit the partner association “Bintumani SL” in Freetown in October/November 2005
Since the partner association Bintumani SL in Freetown no longer carried out active work due to various difficulties, Bintumani D-SL took over the joint organization in Berlin. All interested people were invited to become members of Bintumani e.V. International.

Visit of the Federal President Horst Köhler:
After the first contact with the Federal President, he handed over 10 mechanical sewing machines for his first trip to Africa. This led to an exchange of information on the project between the Federal Presidential Office and the OSZ Bausbautechnik, which led to the visit of the Federal President and his wife to the Hans Böckler School in June 2005.

Two overseas containers are shipped to Sierra Leone. A portable metal workshop in a container, as well as 120 mechanical sewing machines and materials for training.

2004
The vocational school teacher Norbert Hoffmann (Hans-Böckler-Schule) is developing a project to implement the curiosity of the trainees with the experiential knowledge of seniors as part of his lessons. Learning about sustainability in the use of resources and living in global contexts was in the foreground.
Active action is intended to expand learning in the classroom.
The topic of the work was to create apprenticeships for young people in Sierra Leone, tools for a metal workshop and mechanical sewing machines for training and livelihood were to be collected and sent.
Cooperation with the Werkhaus Anti-Rost and the Hans-Böckler-Schule, Oberstufenzentrum Baubautechnik.

2002
Continued support for the Krootown Bay School for the Poor. Cooperation with “Bread for the World”. School meals, teaching materials and the construction of a toilet were financed. The Internet café continued to receive financial support.

2000
Bintumani is building an Internet café in Freetown. These rooms also provide training in operating systems and application programs.

1999
Delivery of a 40-foot container with medical supplies, clothing and basic foodstuffs with a total value of 80,000 DM.
The “Brookfields Community Clinic and Health Centre”, led by Bintumani member Dr. Bell, and the “Krootown Bay School For The Poor” were supported. Here the construction of a toilet was financed.

1998
Founding of the association “Bintumani D-SL” in November in Berlin and Freetown.

During the rebel war, berlin-friendly doctors are supported in Freetown. Communication with partners YMCA and the United Christian Council of Sierra Leone (CCSL) is very difficult. Martial law, cut telephone connections, no air connections made us difficult at the beginning of our club life.

Through private support, donations of equipment and medicines and private funds, the non-profit hospital “Brookfields Community Clinic and Health Centre” in Freetown was supported even during the turmoil of war. For a time, this hospital, which is headed by Sierra Leonean Bintumani member Dr. Christian Bell, was the only functioning institution where local doctors could operate together with a team of “Doctors Without Borders” and continue a gynecology department.