9River completes second of ten WASH projects in Calabatown

 




When Oprah Winfrey founded the Leadership Academy for Girls in 2007, she became a symbol in Johannesburg, South Africa, and for many schools across Africa.

Sadly, the Oprah Winfrey Kindergarten and Primary School in Calaba Town, Sierra Leone (also founded in 2007) has never had quite enough to keep it running like the one that the famous American billionaire is personally invested in. Still, the community keeps striving to break the cycle of poverty.

Calaba Town lies on the outskirts of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. Built after the Civil War (1991–2002), the reconstruction town is home to internally-displaced people who relocated.  

In 2009, the Madieu Williams Foundation funded a primary school named after American footballer's mother, Abigail D. Butscher, in Calaba Town. 

Sierra Leonean-born Williams played in America's National Football League (NFL). He was drafted in 2004 and went on to play for NFL teams in Minnesota, San Francisco, and the football team formerly known as the Washington Redskins.


While the quality of services such as water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) may differ between schools in Johannesburg and Calaba Town, the classifications of improved and unimproved facilities are the same.

That is why the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund joined together to monitor Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets for universal access to water and sanitation for all.

The hope is to achieve access to adequate sanitation and hygiene and end unsafe defecation, paying particular attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.

More than 800,000 people die each year because of unsafe sanitation and hygiene, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

On World Toilet Day in 2018, Nine River (9River) Media pledged to fund the construction of toilets for hundreds of school children who have no access to safely managed sanitation in Freetown, Sierra Leone.


In October 2020, 9River and its charitable arm, the Hannah Deen for Social Care organization, celebrated the completion of the first toilet block in Calaba Town and Allen Town.  Work at the Vision Academy International School in Kola Tree, Calabatown, began at the end of 2019.

 

In December 2020, Foday Conteh, the building contractor, began work on the second toilet block in Calaba Town and Allen Town.  On Monday, April 19, 2021, Foday and Mr. Lebbie, the town chairman, joined the school principal, teachers, and students of the Oprah Winfrey Kindergarten and Primary School to celebrate the opening of the new WASH facility.  

On this day in 1971, Sierra Leone became the Republic of Sierra Leone. 































Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Women’s Day 2022: Ignite Power’s all-women team electrified 60 Health Clinics in Sierra Leone

Image
This year, the UN theme for International Women's Day is “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow” which recognizes the contribution of women and girls to build a more sustainable future for all. There is no doubt gender equality sits at the heart of a sustainable future, and that solar energy has a vital role in establishing both. With gender equality being at the core of its operations throughout Africa, Ignite Power is impacting millions of women, customers, and employees alike. This week, the company announced the conclusion of an extensive electrification project in Sierra Leone, providing 60 remote clinics and health facilities with lightning and electricity, with installations and end-user training done by an all-women team. The project was executed for We Care Solar, a global organization working to electrify last-mile health clinics and reduce maternal mortality in developing regions. The project is part of the Light Every Birth initiative by We Care Solar, aiming
Read more

COVID-19 vaccination rollout begins in Sierra Leone

Image
  Sierra Leone's Ministry of Health and Sanitation has issued a public notice about its COVID-19 vaccination drive. According to the notice, the first phase began on Monday, March  22, and will continue through Wednesday, March 31. Target beneficiaries are below: Health care workers (Public & Private) Every Health care worker irrespective of age. Military Officers Age 40 years and above Police Officers Age 40 years and above Fire Force Officers Age 40 years and above Prison Officers Age 40 years and above Teachers (Public & Private) Age 40 years and above Lecturers and Instructors (Public & Private) Age 40 years and above Social Workers Age 40 years and above Custom & Immigration Officers Age 40 years and above General Public Age 70 years and above The following health facilities have been designated as vaccination sites:  BOMBALI  Makeni Gov’t Hospital  Kamabai CHC KONO  Koidu Gov’t Hospital  UMC Jiama Sewafe MOYAMBA  Moyamba Gov’t Hospital  Njala University
Read more

Kadijatu 'KJ' Bah explores her role as a Social Worker

Image
Kadijatu 'KJ' Bah is a third-year student at Fourah Bay College. KJ was also the inaugural recipient of the Hannah Deen for Social Care Scholarship Award, funded by 9River Media, in January 2020. This August, KJ wrote about teenage pregnancy during the COVID-19 lockdown period,  peer pressure, and poverty.  In her second interview, KJ continues her conversations with young people in her coastal community in western Freetown, Sierra Leone. Listen to what the Save the Children Sierra Leone volunteer says about the negative impact of the pandemic on children and families.   Other articles by Kadijatu 'KJ' Bah Teenage Pregnancy in Sierra Leone
Read more