AEGIS Foundation for Development evolved out of the success of a small Canadian charity. AEGIS Founder, Jason Dudek, had worked for a large international non-government organization in Sierra Leone shortly after the end of the civil war. He was inspired by local frustrations with large, donor-driven organizations and their ineffectiveness, and started an organization to support a local community initiative to address the problem of orphans and street youths in Koidu (the capital of Koidu District) – something which could be done at a fraction of the cost of a large NGO project, if done through the community.
The result was a locally owned, operated and supported endeavour which is still operating effectively today. The indirect support and bottom-up nature of the project was enthusiastically received by Koidu's citizens, and they took the lead in making the project a success. The success of this approach was Mr. Dudek's subsequent subject of research at the London School of Economics' Development Studies Institute in England.
Inspired by this success, AEGIS Foundation for Development was formed, the goal of which is to support locally owned, integrated and accountable development across Sierra Leone and beyond.