Debate Project

Project status: completed.
Locations: Constituency 67, 68, 69, 70,71, All in the portloko district.

Project Summary:
As an implementing partner for Innovation for Poverty Action, YARDO-SL was part of the team that carried this four-week project.
This project entails the interviewing of voters as well as political aspirants before, during and after the March 2018 elections.
Through random questionnaire survey, the perspective of the voters on their candidate choice and development priorities were captured. The aspirants of various political parties were also interviewed to ascertain their experience, challenges and plans.
The Debate project was limited to only politicians vying for the parliamentary elections and it was carried in about 95% of the total constituencies in Sierra Leone. However, YARDO-SL was only charged with the responsibility to oversee the project implementation in Portloko district.
This project was aimed to expose and educate the voters about the functions of their Members of Parliament as debate were held in each constituency wherein MP aspirants were invited to debate on their policies. Before and after each debate, voters were interviewed to measure the impact of the debate. As highlighted by many voters, the debate gave them the opportunity to know their candidates better. The debate was also instrumental in bringing the aspirants from various parties together to promote cohesion and peace during the elections.