As part of the initiative “Building Strong Community Resilient,” youth volunteers in the Bo District of Southern Sierra Leone have been taking the lead in organising efforts to construct a community that is both robust and resistant to disaster. The main objective of the initiative is to increase the percentage of young people and women who hold leadership roles in emergency preparation and response organisations.
Young people in the community who are willing to volunteer their time have been trying to increase awareness about the effects of COVID-19 and the preventive measures ever since the first breakout of the virus. In addition, the group has shown regular great hand washing processes, the use of face masks, and the cleaning of surroundings, among other things, which have contributed to promoting good hygiene practices. People who live in rural areas now have access to sanitary items including face masks, hand-washing buckets, and soap.
These products are intended to protect them from the spread of disease. Youth organisations and women’s groups have been provided with capacity-building training and strengthened to assume leadership roles in disaster/emergency response and to act as Community Surveillance with the cooperation of the local authorities. This has been done with the intention of empowering these groups to better respond to disasters and emergencies. Because of the efforts of these individuals and organisations, a sizeable number of communities have been protected from the virus’s spread.
