The mission of FIRST STEP is to help jumpstart the economies of the poorest and most isolated developing economies through public-private partnerships that attract labor intensive, export processing industry to those countries while building the capacity of local institutions to provide services that enhance the developmental impact of the industry and safeguard labor rights and environmental protections.

In the simplest terms, FIRST STEP is a “special economic zone” (SEZ) in Sierra Leone in which firms will be able to easily locate labor intensive aspects of their global production chain without significant up-front costs or risks. These firms will import the necessary equipment and raw materials into the zone, add Sierra Leonean labor and locally available raw materials, and then export a finished product. FIRST STEP will own, manage and construct production facilities (empty factory shells) on the SEZ that it will rent to the partner firms.

The Sierra Leonean workers of partner firms will participate in WHI training programs such as HIV/AIDS awareness, health, nutrition, and adult literacy. WHI will play a role in ensuring that the people employed in the FIRST STEP zone experience a safe and respectful working environment and that all business activity is eco-friendly. Sierra Leone’s government, under the leadership of President Earnest Bai Koroma, have embraced the FIRST STEP concept and been amazingly supportive. In early 2010, Sierra Leone’s Parliament officially ratified the FIRST STEP proposal.

Resources

Economic Development 2010 Mid-Year Report