Introduction
In response to the devastating landslides and flooding that occurred on August 28, 2022, in Sierra Leone, Women with Disabilities Yearning for Equal Opportunities (WoDYEO) played a crucial role in complementing the efforts of the Sierra Leone Government. On September 23, 2022, WoDYEO embarked on a mission to distribute essential items such as food, school materials, and house kits to persons with disabilities who were severely affected by the natural disaster.
The distribution targeted four main communities: Looking Town, Kroobay, Wilkinson Road (St. Michael), and Dwarzar, with the primary aim of providing relief to 42 victims, including men, women, children, and young stars.
Distribution Efforts
The distribution event commenced with a briefing from Mr. Mohamed Conteh, a representative from the victims, who provided a brief background on the incident. This was followed by statements from various organizations working with and for persons with disabilities in Sierra Leone, including the Ministry of Social Welfare, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Handicap International, Sierra Leone Union on Disabilities Issues, Initiative for Young Women and Girls with Disability, Ministry of Health, and Dorothy Spring Trust. Additionally, the Director of the National Disaster Management Agency in Sierra Leone presented on disaster management in communities.
The distribution of food, school materials, and house kits proved to be meaningful and achieved its objectives by providing essential items such as rice, oil, onions, Maggie, salt, foam mattresses, pillows, blankets, cooking pots, plates, bowls, and school materials to affected individuals. These items were especially crucial as many people, including children and persons with disabilities, were left displaced without food, shelter, clothing, or house utensils in the aftermath of the disaster.
Total Number of Beneficiaries
A total of 42 victims were initially targeted, with a focus on persons with disabilities. The outreach successfully reached 34 persons with disabilities, including school-going children, and 8 non-persons with disabilities across four slum communities. Among these communities, there were 16 beneficiaries from Culvert, 18 from Looking Town, 3 from Kroobay, 3 from Wilkinson Road (St. Michael), and 2 from Dwarzar. The beneficiaries comprised 19 males, 9 females, 10 children, and 4 young stars.
Challenges
Despite the success of the distribution efforts, the implementation faced several challenges. Notably, the number of victims exceeded the initial budget, and price inflation during the implementation period added to the constraints. Additionally, beneficiaries’ expectations for shelter were high, posing a challenge to the team.
Success Stories and Testimonials
Amid the challenges, WoDYEO’s relief program yielded several success stories and testimonials. One poignant story comes from Fatmata Sannoh, a visually impaired woman from Looking Town, who shared, “Due to the flooding incident, I lost my properties and my grandson. With this great support from WoDYEO and partners, we now have basic items to use, and we are so overwhelmed because life continues after today.”
Furthermore, the program achieved a 95% success rate in reaching the targeted slum communities, supported 10 pupils/students with school materials, increased beneficiaries’ knowledge on disaster management, and successfully relocated two women with disabilities to a safer place during the distribution process.
In conclusion, WoDYEO’s disaster relief program in Sierra Leone made a significant impact by providing much-needed support to vulnerable individuals and communities affected by the landslides and flooding. Despite challenges, the organization’s efforts, coupled with collaboration from partners, brought relief, hope, and resilience to those in need.