CASE STORY OF
COVID-19 RESPONSE

PUBLISHED MAY 30, 2020
“Project 100 against COVID-19”
case-story-one
case-story-one

In April 2020, our international partners, Engineers without Borders-Denmark provided supplementary COVID-19 response funds to help fight the spread of the virus in Sierra Leone. The action plan developed for the use of the funds was centered on ensuring that the local economy in Kenema and surrounding communities benefitted immensely in these difficulty times of economic recession.

With ensuring that the local economy survives, Opportunity Training Center was commissioned to manufacture 2000 face masks on behalf of SEND Sierra Leone. Opportunity Training Center in Kenema is a training school for persons with disability to learn useful technical or vocational skills which can be used for economic or financial gain. The face masks featured locally sourced traditional “Ankara” material lined with a protective film for safe breathing. Prototype versions of the masks were approved as safe for use by the District Health authorities.

With washing of hands been an important action in fighting COVID-19,1000 locally manufactured soap bars were procured so subsequent distribution.

IEC material such as flyers and posters were printed in large quantities for the equitable distribution to all target communities.

After receiving the 2000 facemasks that were manufactured by the OTC, the 1000 locally sourced soaps, and 1000 IEC materials, SEND staff working under Project 100 which is funded by Engineers without Borders-Denmark began the distribution of these items in the 26 target communities of the project.

Successfully all the facemasks were handed over to beneficiaries in each of the communities and the soaps were provided at each washing station. Sensitization sessions are currently ongoing to ensure that all beneficiaries in the target communities are well educated on how to help stop the spread of COVID-19.In addition, beneficiaries are also supplied with the IEC materials so that they can be change agents to help spread the sensitization message on how to stop the spread of COVID-19.

“I will now be able to visit the hospital for my ante natal sessions safely and protect myself and my unborn baby thanks to the mask I have received” -Susan Kaitingor from Walima community on the relevance of the face mask.

Kadiatu Marah who is blind and resides in Talia community notes that now with the mask, “I shall be able to attend women meetings safely and visit the market to purchase food items whiles keeping safe”

Communications Team