By Juliana | Country Director, Sierra Leone
In August last year, heavy rainfall in Freetown, Sierra Leone, devastated entire areas of the city with flooding and mudslides. Communities were left buried under more than 50 feet of mud and boulders. The situation was exacerbated by inadequate waste management and drainage infrastructure, coupled with overcrowding. 6,000 people were affected, with 1,141 people reported either dead or missing.
The hardest hit were some of Freetown’s most vulnerable people, who had been greatly affected by the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak and frequent flooding over the last few years.
IsraAID Sierra Leone has selected a group of 30 young leaders, aged 18-28, for training in how to provide psychosocial support in emergencies and how to reduce the risk of disasters in their communities as part of the new Freetown First Responders program. The Freetown First Responders began their training program in July.
The young participants come from Kamayama and Kaningo in Freetown, communities heavily affected by last year's mudslides, and are being provided with the tools needed to build their resilience ahead of the rainy season.
The Freetown First Responders will be well-equipped to share their knowledge with their communities and to assess both the physical and mental health needs of their communities.
With the help of our team, the Freetown First Responders are strengthening the resilience of their communities.
Thank you for your generous support, which makes this possible! More updates to follow ...
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