In a bid to fulfill her oversight mandate of the Post-Ebola Recovery Social Investment Fund project, the Minister of Social Welfare, Mrs. Melrose Karminty has led key government officials on a Spot visit to assess the progress of the Project Sites. The delegation visited Mabrown and Mamanki villages in the Western Area Rural and Port Loko Districts respectively.

The delegation included prominent officials such as the Deputy Minister of Health 1, the District Medical Officers (DMOs) for both districts, and other technical personnel. The visit aimed to evaluate the implementation of critical health infrastructure designed to bolster the country’s healthcare system, especially in regions heavily affected by the Ebola outbreak. 

Talking to the District Medical officers (DMOs) and community stakeholders during her visit,  the Honourable Minister,  emphasized the importance of the PERSIF Projects, stating, “These facilities are not just buildings; they represent a renewed hope for our people. They symbolize the government’s commitment to improving lives, building resilience, and ensuring no community is left behind.”

The lives of residents in the Yoyah Community of Daru, Kailahun District, have been transformed by the African Development Bank’s PERSIF project. This groundbreaking initiative has successfully constructed a solar-powered water supply system at the Yoyah Community Health Post, heralding a new era of health and safety for the entire community.

For many years, the Yoyah Community Health Post, along with the village residents, relied on rainwater, streams, and rivers for their water needs. This dependency created severe hygiene challenges, compromising the cleanliness of the health facility, medical tools, and overall health of patients and health workers. The situation was particularly dire for women and girls, who undertook long and dangerous journeys to fetch water for laundry, cooking, and drinking. These trips exposed them to numerous risks, including sexual.

The construction of the solar-powered water supply system has brought about a dramatic improvement in the community’s quality of life by reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases and improving overall hygiene standards. The CHP and the community now enjoy access to a reliable and consistent source of clean water supply essential for maintaining hygiene and ensuring the safety of medical procedures.

The health workers at the community health post can now perform their duties more effectively, ensuring better care for patients. The risk of contamination and infection has significantly decreased, contributing to a healthier and safer environment for all. Women and girls no longer need to undertake perilous journeys to fetch water, freeing up their time for education and other productive activities.

The solar-powered water supply system stands as a symbol of resilience and progress. It demonstrates the positive outcomes that can be achieved through thoughtful and targeted infrastructure projects. The PERSIF project has provided a critical resource and instilled a renewed sense of hope and empowerment among the residents of the Yoyah Community.

The once arduous and perilous journey for water in Tikonko, a small town in Kailahun District, has been transformed into a beacon of hope and safety, thanks to the intervention of the African Development Bank through its Post Ebola Recovery Social Investment Fund (PERSIF) project.

For years, the residents of Tikonko relied heavily on rivers and streams for their daily water needs. This dependency posed significant health risks, as the water sources were often contaminated, leading to waterborne diseases that plagued the community. Women and girls, in particular, bore the brunt of this burden, traveling miles to fetch water for cooking and drinking. The journey was not only exhausting but also fraught with dangers, including the threat of rape, snake bites, and even drowning while doing laundry in the rivers.

The construction of a new hand pump in the heart of Tikonko has brought about a dramatic change in the community’s health and safety. Funded by the PERSIF project, this initiative has provided a reliable and clean water source, significantly reducing the community’s reliance on the hazardous rivers and streams.

With the hand pump now operational, women and girls no longer have to endure the long and dangerous treks to fetch water. The pump’s proximity to their homes means they can access clean water conveniently and safely, giving them more time to focus on education and other productive activities.

The impact on the community’s health has been profound. The incidence of waterborne diseases has decreased, and overall hygiene has improved. The availability of clean water for drinking and household use has enhanced the quality of life for the residents of Tikonko.

The AfDB monitoring mission team has on the 5 November visited the Mabrown village to inspect the PERSIF Project CHC and Nurses’ Quarters construction site.

The AfDB monitoring team comprised the Task Manager, Procurement Manager, and Environmental Specialist, which was accompanied by the PERSIF Project Coordination Unit and Prime Engineering Solution.

The objective of the monitoring mission was to evaluate the progress of construction work, engage community/project stakeholders including contractors/consultants, and beneficiaries, and verify land donation agreements and related documents. The mission also looked at the observation of environmental safeguarding protocols, project challenges, recommendations, and possible solutions to the identified challenges.

Speaking with community stakeholders, the Task Manager, Mary, emphasized the need for community ownership and strengthening of monitoring to enhance the sustainability of the facilities. She encouraged contractors to work with the community members to observe safeguarding protocols. She encourages contractors to speed up work to catch up with project deadline, and community stakeholders to speed up the preparation of land donation agreements and related documents.

Mr. Hassan Conteh, Headman of the community expressed gratitude for the consideration of Mabrown Village for the construction of a health facility. He noted that upon its completion, the CHC will benefit 7 surrounding villages and the risk of pregnant women dying on their way to access medical services will be addressed. He assured the mission team of total community ownership, monitoring, and sustainability of the facilities.

The AfDB has on the 5th of November commenced its fourth quarter monitoring mission of the PERSIF Project sites.

The AfDB monitoring team consisted of the Task Manager, Procurement Manager, and Environmental Specialist and was supported by the PERSIF Project Coordination Unit.

The objective of the monitoring was to assess the progress of construction work, engage community/project stakeholders, including contractors/consultants and beneficiaries, and verify land donation agreements and related documents. The mission also examined environmental and social safeguarding protocols, project challenges, recommendations, and possible solutions to the identified challenges.

The PERSIF project funded by the African Development Bank conducted a two-day (2nd and 3^rd August 2024) WASH Promotion training at the Kenema District Council.

The training was part of the government’s recovery effort to restore socio-economic opportunities destroyed by the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and to build the resilience of former EVD  hotspot communities. Beneficiaries of the training included Nurses, Headteachers, Artisans, Wash technicians, and entrepreneurs drawn from six (6) chiefdoms within the Kenema district.

The objectives of the training were:

1. to enhance hygiene and sanitation skills and practices;
2. to promote the maintenance and sustainability of WASH facilities including pumps and solar-powered water systems that the project has constructed in Schools and communities and;
3. to create a link between Pump technicians and entrepreneurs.

To undertake the training exercise, the Ministry of Social Welfare through the Project Coordination Unit (PCU) contracted Community Action for Social Initiative Sierra Leone (CASI-SL), a non-governmental organization to provide training on WASH and Hygiene Promotion, Entrepreneurship, and Management. The training was set to enhance the capacity of health management committees; School management committees; School health Clubs; Community artisans; and hygiene promoters on how to identify issues and challenges that affect Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) functionality, how to develop proposals and mobilize resources to mitigate and solve potential problems relating to the operations, management and sustainability of water supply and sanitation services within the district.

During his closing remarks at the end of the training, the training consultant, Honorable Charles Abdulai, noted that the training is the first in a series that will be held in Western Area Rural, Portloko, and Bombali districts respectively.

The PERSIF Coordination Unit in collaboration with the Bombali District Council (BDC), marked a significant milestone on 7 May 2024 by officially handing over the contractors for the Mambala Health Centre (CHC) to community stakeholders and the construction site to the contracted builders (Bilkisu).

The event was graced by key stakeholders including the project coordinator and his team, Bombali District Council Chairman Dr. Baba M. Sesay, the Ward Counsellor (Kasim S. Kanu), Chiefdom Speaker, religious leaders, and a representative from Prime Engineering Solution, the supervising Engineering Firm.  

The main objective of the ceremony was to enhance the council and community ownership and sustainability of the project.

The specific objectives were:

1. To officially introduce and handover contractors to the district and community stakeholders;
2. To show contractors the proposed site;
3. To facilitate effective monitoring of the project;
4. To enhance transparency and accountability; and
5. To facilitate risk mitigation.

   Speaking at the ceremony, the Project Coordinator, Abdul Karim Kanu gave a brief background of the PERSIF Project and emphasized that it is part of the government’s recovery efforts to restore social and economic opportunities that were lost during the Ebola crisis. He added that the intervention aims at addressing vulnerabilities and building community resilience to effectively prevent or manage disease and respond to health emergencies.

   

   The district Chairman, Dr. Babar M. Sesay said upon completion, the CHC will benefit three (3) sections (Makoloh, Dobanka, and Mahawan), which constitute 26 villages (including Mambala). He added having a state-of-the-art health facility and nurses’ quarters in Mambala will mitigate maternal mortality and enhance the health system in the chiefdom.

The PERSIF PCU and the WARDC Deputy Chief Administrator (DCA), Alhassan Yillah, met with stakeholders of Mabrown village on June 4, 2024, to inspect the site donated by the community for the construction of a Solar-powered water supply system, Community Health Centre(CHC), and Nurses’ quarters as part of the PERSIF project intervention in former Ebola hotspot communities.

Speaking to stakeholders, the Project Coordinator noted that the intervention is an integral part of component two (2) of the PERSIF project, which is tagged “increased Access to Basic Social Services and improve availability and access to healthcare services and WASH facilities.”

The Deputy Chief Administrator, Alhassan Yillah during the engagement said the involvement of the district council in the implementation of the PERSIF project was to ensure the council’s ownership and leadership role in identifying needy former EVD communities. He also noted that, for the intervention to materialize, it was required for the beneficiary community to provide a plot of land with all relevant documents devoid of any contention to donate to the project through the district council. He added, “all of these are required before PERSIF officially hands over contractors to community stakeholders and construction site to the contractor for the commencement of work”.

“Therefore, it was against the backdrop of ascertaining that the community has done the needful, that the project team undertook a visit to the Western Area Rural District Council (WARDC), to engage the council and Mabrown stakeholders, and to visit the propose site,” the DCA said.