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.