A Passion for Healing: Global Staff Spotlight

Fanta Conteh

At the Recovery Center in Sierra Leone, Fanta Conteh leads her team with excellence bringing hope in hard places and shining light in dark spaces. Fanta has experienced personal trauma and understands intimately what it means to go from being a victim to a survivor. Her passion comes from a deep well of healing that flows out from her to those around her.   

Holding Space for Survivors

Fanta began working with World Hope International (WHI) 12 years ago. In her years with WHI, she has worked in several capacities beginning her journey as a house parent. Then, as a counsellor, Fanta deepened her knowledge, skills, and compassion. Now she is the Protection Manager. Her own experiences with physical and sexual abuse and being the “black sheep” in her family have given her a passion to walk alongside the vulnerable to be the change she wants to see. 

“I desire to hold space for trauma survivors. To support them and walk alongside them as they heal. No child or survivor needs to walk this path alone.” 

Fanta

Throughout her time with WHI, Fanta has seen many lives transformed. The team assesses each referral and a puts a personalized plan in place. Most times, the survivor stays for 3-6 months. Because each case is assessed individually, so is the duration of their stay. Some families can’t be found. Survivors facing high degrees of trauma may need more time. Other survivors need support throughout their legal journey. When a survivor arrives and is pregnant, she will likely stay for the duration of her pregnancy. Complex experiences require complex care.  

Being a Light in Dark Spaces 

Fanta’s primary motivation for her work is the “inner child” of every survivor she meets. “The desire to ensure that the silence and neglect I experienced don’t become the final chapter for someone else drives me. After 12 years at WHI, the visible transformation of our survivors motivates me: seeing a child go from a state of abuse to a place of safety.” 

Providing trauma informed care allows hope to grow in hard places. Working with survivors is hard. There are times when Fanta feels stuck, and the work is particularly challenging. Even then, Fanta holds on to hope.  

“When I feel stuck, I look back at how far I have come personally. I remind myself that the ‘black sheep’—the one who was shamed and unsupported is now the person leading protection efforts for WHI in Sierra Leone. I hold on to hope by looking into the eyes of the survivors we serve. In their faces, I see my own story, and I realize that if I could find a path to healing and leadership, they can too. I also lean heavily on my faith and my team, knowing I am no longer alone in this fight; that makes the hard days manageable. I do this work because I know that a ‘black sheep’ can become a beacon of light if someone just gives them a chance.”

Fanta’s Big Wish for the World

“My wish would be for the global elimination of the ‘culture of shame and blame’ that surrounds survivors of abuse. I wish for a world where, instead of being blamed or cast aside by their families and communities, survivors are immediately met with an outpouring of support, protection, and belief. I want a world where every child feels safe in their own home and every survivor knows they are not a mistake, but a person of immense value.”