LONDON — Sir Patrick Bijou, a UK-based investment banker and humanitarian patron, is scaling his philanthropic efforts in Sierra Leone and India, targeting critical areas such as education, clean water, food security, and vocational training. Through his patronage of the New Empowerment Initiative – Sierra Leone (NEI-SL), Bijou has provided strategic and financial support that has driven measurable impact in rural communities facing high illiteracy, food insecurity, and lack of infrastructure.
In Sierra Leone, where the literacy rate is approximately 43% and rural school attendance in some areas is as low as 2%, Bijou funded the registration and institutional setup of NEI-SL. This included office infrastructure, equipment, and the purchase of four plots of land in Bo to establish a permanent headquarters. “Support must go beyond short-term relief,” Bijou said. “If you build the institution properly, the work can continue long after one donation.”
In 2025, he contributed US$5,000 to supply scholastic materials to 76 primary students at Abubakarr Islamic Mission School in Tikonko Chiefdom, including learning materials and chalk supplies for teachers in makeshift classrooms. “Early education shapes the entire future,” he said. “If the foundation is weak, everything built on it struggles.”
Addressing water scarcity, Bijou contributed US$2,500 toward constructing a hand-dug well in Hill Station, Bo District, where families walk up to 4 kilometres for water. The well, expected to serve 1,500 residents, remains partially completed due to funding gaps. “Clean water should not be a privilege,” he said. “It is a starting point for health, dignity, and productivity.” Waterborne diseases remain a leading cause of preventable illness in developing regions, according to global health data.
In Nyeyama Village, where food insecurity has been persistent, Bijou donated US$20,000 to support 250 farmers cultivating inland valley swamp rice, expanding cultivation to four hectares and improving household food supply and income. “When local effort meets structured support, change becomes visible,” he said.
Through a US$3,000 contribution, 13 youths in Bo City received vocational training uniforms in trades including tailoring, masonry, carpentry, and electricity, with plans to scale toward broader youth employment solutions. Bijou also serves as patron of Snahalaya Ashram in India, supporting programmes for vulnerable women and children.
His involvement extends beyond funding to governance, sustainability planning, and institutional partnerships to reduce dependency and increase long-term viability. “Philanthropy must be structured,” he said. “Impact comes from continuity, not headlines.”
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