Tzu Chi Foundation Leads Community Cleaning Initiative to Combat Flooding in Kroo Bay
In an ongoing effort to combat persistent flooding in Kroo Bay, the Tzu Chi Foundation spearheaded a community cleaning initiative on Saturday, February 24th, 2024. Kroo Bay, known for its struggles with flooding, faces challenges exacerbated by excessive garbage dumped by inhabitants and neighboring hilltop communities. The initiative, a proactive response to the recurring issue, saw the provision of cleaning equipment to residents, empowering them to take ownership of their environment and prevent future flooding. Margret Bassie, the Representative of Tzu Chi Foundation in Sierra Leone, emphasized the importance of community involvement in flood mitigation efforts, highlighting Kroo Bay as a pilot phase for the foundation’s initiatives. Last August, the Tzu Chi Foundation, in collaboration with Healey International Relief Foundation, Lanyi Foundation, and Caritas Freetown, conducted a flood mitigation exercise in Kroo Bay. The recent community cleaning initiative serves as a continuation of these efforts, aiming to create a cleaner and safer environment for residents. Chief Mary Kamara, a stakeholder in Kroo Bay Community, expressed gratitude to the Tzu Chi Foundation for their continuous support. She acknowledged the abundance of garbage in the community and emphasized the significance of the cleaning exercise in promoting rest and overall well-being among residents. Margret Bassie emphasized the importance of community ownership in sustaining the impact of flood mitigation efforts. By empowering residents to maintain a clean and healthy environment, the initiative seeks to foster resilience and pave the way for development in Kroo Bay Community. In conclusion, the collaborative efforts of the Tzu Chi Foundation and other organizations reflect a proactive approach to addressing environmental challenges and promoting community resilience in Kroo Bay. Through community-driven initiatives like the recent cleaning exercise, stakeholders aim to mitigate flooding and create a safer, healthier environment for all inhabitants.
Caritas Freetown and Caritas National Office: Creating and Strengthening Collaborative Efforts with World Vision.
On Monday 26th February Executive Director Rev. Fr. Peter Konteh, staff from the Caritas Freetown and Caritas National Office team met with National Director of World Vision Sagane Thiaw for a formal meeting discussion surrounding collaborative efforts in key humanitarian focus areas in the Western Area and Rural Districts of Freetown. A discussion surrounding efforts for the call to the most vulnerable specifically the child and youth demographics within these target areas. World Vision is a global humanitarian organisation dedicated to working with children, families, and communities to overcome poverty and injustice, operating in over 100 countries including Sierra Leone. With a primary focus on Rural Districts in Freetown, Mr. Sagane Thiaw expressed optimism in hope of effective cohesion with Caritas Freetown on ways the two organisations can effectively partner through the integration of our integral faith-based values. Ishmael Alfred Charles, Programs Manager at Caritas Freetown provided a seamless overview of the key themes rooted in Caritas’ development programs, projects and initiatives that we cover in Western Area and Rural districts of Freetown to showcase similarities in humanitarian practices that also reflects World Visions’. This includes, Health and Sanitation, SGBV, Gender and Equity, Climate Change and Sustainable Practices, Disaster Risk Management, Education, Nutrition, Peacekeeping Initiatives and much more. Ishmael Alfred Charles expressed high enthusiasm in the hopes for collaboration amongst both project development teams to integrate and learn from both organisations’ practices. National Director Mr. Sagane Thiaw highlighted key themes integral to World Visions’ development practices surrounding the areas such as Child Sponsorship, Health and Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Education, Livelihood and Economic Development and Disaster Response. Mr. Sagane Thiaw expressed high interest in collaborating with Caritas Freetown, one of the major areas to incorporate Sustainable Practices and Climate Change, this includes seeking to collaborate with schools supervised under the Caritas organisation to initiate the children and youth to get involved in tree planting and waste management initiatives, educating the future generation of Sierra Leoneans to lead the call-in combating climate change. Overall, World Vision Caritas Freetown and Caritas National Office will play a crucial role in enhancing the lives of children and families in the Western Area and Rural Districts, working towards a future where all individuals can reach their full potential and thrive.