AYV News, December 10, 2024
In joining hands to commemorate the 16-Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, the leadership of the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) has committed to establish more water points for people that may not have access to safe drinking water. This was made known during the three-day outreach by the Directorate of Communication, Gender and Outreach in Makeni, Bo and Kenema from Wednesday, December 4th to Friday December 6th, 2024.
The outreach was specifically done to showcase how SALWACO seeks to minimize harmful and or related vices that are likely to occur as a result of the nonavailability of safe drinking water. A particular analogy of young girls fending water at night and other odd hours was made, with a potential for perpetrators of take advantages of situations, but if access is provided, some of such cases would be minimized, if not eradicated, it was suggested.
It was on that note that the SALWACO leaderships at Station Levels were engaging residents and communities that may not have access to water to come out and inform SALWACO with a possibility to create and establish water points for the benefit of all, as arranged. Such moves will help to reduce related cases of gender based violence that could have occurred as a result of no access to safe drinking water in communities.
The sensitization targeted SALWACO staff at regional level plus hosting radio talk shows on the subject matter on the need to provide access and to minimize all possible harzards. In Makeni, the team hosted a one-hour SALWACO hour on Amzas radio. The Classic Media Empire (Classic FM/Radio) was engaged in Bo and in Kenema, the team utilized Nyapui radio’s breakfast/good morning show.
The SALWACO team was inclusive of Mary Mansaray Ngegba, Director of Communication, Gender and Outreach, Mary Patricia Kanu, Gender Manager and Sheku Putka Kamara, Senior Communications Officer.
The key message in all of the discussions was how SALWACO could help to minimize gender based violence which could have occured as a result of lack of access to safe drinking water. Similar engagements are expected to be carried out in other SALWACO areas of operations, nationwide.
