By: Mohamed Sahr mohamedsahrpro@gmail.com
In commitment to scale up government’s vision in terms of attaining Sustainable Development Goal Six which is safe, clean water and sanitation, GOAL Sierra Leone has officially launched 2023/2024 Charity Water funded project for the construction of 120 water points in communities, healthcare facilities and schools in Kenema and Moyamba District at Family Kingdom Resort in Freetown on Thursday 16th November 2023.
Mr. James Riak, Country Director of GOAL SL said the project is poised to provide 100% clean and safe water facilities coverage for Moyamba and Kenema Districts respectively. Mr. Riak emphasized that GOAL SL works closely with the Government of Sierra Leone to maintain sustainable water facilities; adding that water plays a pivotal role in the lives of the people and GOAL Sierra Leone is committed to scale up the provision of water and sanitation in the country. “Our goal is to provide water coverage in the country,” Country Director for GOAL Sierra Leone affirmed.
He furthered that geographical concentration has provided potential range of impact when it comes to water coverage availability across the country. Mr. Riak thanked Charity Water for their timely respond in the accessibility and affordability of clean and safe water facility for both Kenema and Moyamba Districts.
He expressed that GOAL SL would continue to support the government with focus on President Bio’s Big Five Game Changers Agenda.
Pius Nishimwe, WASH Coordinator of GOAL Sierra Leone said the Charity Water funded project targets communities, schools and healthcare facilities within the two districts. He added that the project would provide water supplies, sanitation, hygiene and behavioral change aspect in order to promote sanitation as well as putting an end to open defecation in the respective districts. “For the sustainability of the project, we will make sure that each water point has WASH Management Committee to ensure the preventive maintenance and contribute financially to the sustainability of the water points, ” Mr. Nishimwe stated.
He revealed that sixty-five (65) quantities of boreholes would be rollout, of which sixty (60) would be established in communities, three (3) for schools and two (2) for healthcare facilities. Whereas, twenty (20) boreholes would be provided in Moyamba Districts for communities, schools and healthcare facilities.
Mr. Nishimwe mentioned that the sanitation and hygiene aspect of the project would demand for twelve quantities of the water points; emphasizing that as a result of gender sensitive nature of the country, six would be given to the boys and six for girls especially in various schools. He said the selection process in the project implementation would go with demand creation, construction or rehabilitation of water points, establishment and training facility and monitoring. “We are planning to construct 12 toilets in schools and 6 toilets in healthcare facilities particularly for the sanitation aspect, ” Mr. Nishimwe disclosed.
Brima Munda Sowa, Permanent Secretary at Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation thanked Charity Water for supporting such laudable project in an effort of complementing government’s vision for the attainment of SDG six which is clean and safe water and sanitation in the country. He urged GOAL SL to continue maintaining the disparity measures in strengthening water facilities across the country. “We are very hopeful that after Moyamba and Kenema, other districts will equally have a bite of its similar project,” Mr. Sowa said.
Rev. Jonathan Titus Williams, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Planning and Economic Development said GOAL SL has got a long mutual existing history of partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone since 1999 to date. He felt pleased as GOAL Sierra Leone continues to amplify the aspirations of the government in the Water Resources sector. “The Government of Sierra Leone wishes to assure GOAL SL that we would continue to create the enabling environment in streamlining its priorities and standards,” Rev. Williams stated.
He believed that the project would promote local ownership and ensure inclusion of all stakeholders as well as its affordability.
Martha Mani, Principal Environmental Health Officer at the Directorate of Environment at Ministry of Health said inasmuch such project is implementated, there would be a good outcome. She affirmed that safe, affordable and accessible water remains essential to the health of people. Mrs. Mani thanked GOAL Sierra Leone and Charity Water for cushioning such remarkable project.