On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, the Tzu Chi Foundation, in collaboration with Caritas Freetown, launched a six-day cleaning and sensitization campaign targeting three major slum communities in Freetown: Kroo Bay, Dwarzark, and Susan’s Bay.
The campaign, which runs daily from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM until Sunday, July 20, aims to promote environmental sanitation and disaster preparedness amid the intensifying rainy season. Approximately 45 volunteers have been deployed to each community, working under the coordination of the Community Disaster Committees (CDCs).
To support the initiative, the Tzu Chi Foundation provided essential cleaning tools and protective gear, including shovels, wheelbarrows, head pans, rakes, gloves, rain boots, and raincoats. The Freetown City Council’s “parrot” vehicle is also being used to disseminate key messages on proper waste disposal and disaster risk reduction throughout the targeted communities.
This marks the third cleaning initiative led by the Tzu Chi Foundation in these communities over the past three years. In addition to its sanitation efforts, the Foundation has also provided grants to community leaders and residents to strengthen long-term resilience and development.
A representative from the Tzu Chi Foundation emphasized the need to evaluate the effectiveness of past initiatives and encouraged volunteers to prioritize the cleaning of vital infrastructure such as drainage systems, culverts, and public spaces. “Maintaining a clean environment is critical to ensuring our collective safety, especially during the rainy season,” the representative stated.
Residents were also sensitized on the importance of proper waste management and were urged to take good care of the tools provided so they can be reused for future community projects.
Many residents expressed gratitude for the initiative and called on Tzu Chi and its partners to continue the momentum. “Now that the rains are heavy, waste from the city center often flows down into our communities. Continued support for cleaning efforts is essential,” one community member remarked.