The Ebola Sensitization Project in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone was a 3-month effort, from September to November 2014. The project included the Koinadugu and Tonkolili districts. There were 570 villages in the target area with 260,183 direct beneficiaries. It also included 6,000 indirect beneficiaries in these districts.

Koinadugu and Tonkolili Districts
A World Renew partner in Sierra Leone, Christian Extension Services (CES), carried out an Ebola sensitization project in Koinadugu and Tonkolilito educate people about the virus and stop its spread.

In March 2014, the first Ebola victim died in Kalihum in eastern Sierra Leone. Today, all 14 districts have been affected. The cumulative confirmed number of Ebola cases is 5,906, and the suspected cases increased to 1,320. The cumulative confirmed death toll from ebola is 1,522. The number of survivors remains at 1,112. (CCSL).

Koinadugu was without any confirmed cases of Ebola until October 2014 when the first case was reported. Now there are 84. Some residents in the communities where CES works fled to their farms for safety. The prevention program provided villagers with information about the causes, spread, and prevention of Ebola.

The outbreak has adversely aected the social and economic life here. Apart from the deaths it has caused, the virus has scared away tourists and investors. It has created orphans, widows, and widowers who will need social support going forward.

The Ministry of Education postponed the start of school, and this will impact students and families. A number of big mining firms have also evacuated their foreign sta and shut down non-essential operations, creating more economic hardship.

The outbreak is very serious and its spread is not under control. It spread from the epicenter on the Guinea-Liberia border to Kailahun, Kenema, and other districts of Sierra Leone.

Goal of the Project
The overall goal of the project was to educate communities about Ebola. This includes an Ebola Fact Sheet in Kuranko. The long-term impact includes

  • communities mobilized and sensitized
  • community mobilizers selected and trained
  • community bylaws on prevention introduced and enforced
  • distribution of materials and equipment prevention
  • Language education oered to 90% of Kuranko listeners.

The team shared the educational materials with the participants and explained how to become aware of and prevent Ebola. At the end of each visit, the team distributed banners, buckets, megaphones, and sanitizers for hand washing.

In most of the targeted communities, CES was the first NGO to visit them to provide prevention education. The residents were appreciative.

Overall Project Impact
  1. Local bylaws against the spread of Ebola established and enforced.
  2. Communities town criers mobilized to help spread information on Ebola.
  3. Panicked community encouraged to move out of their farming hide-outs.
  4. Provide training in Ebola prevention.
  5. Reuniting families in their localities.
  6. Formed and trained community mobilizers against spread of Ebola.
  7. Sensitized communities to increase their awareness and knowledge of natural-disaster risk reduction through community skillbuilding.
  8. The local communities perceive the message in their mother tongue better and faster.
  9. Local participation was greatly enhanced because of the simple medium of communication.
  10. The communities were pleased that there was concern for their welfare.
  11. The projects created an awareness of literacy programs among the Kuranko communities.
  12. The sensitization ensured that the communities are prepared and can protect themselves from the deadly Ebola virus. 
 
Recommendations:
  1. The number of checkpoints at boarder villages should be increased from 15 to 45. It is very important to establish one checkpoint for every two boarder villages to ease necessary crossing and reduce the number of people sneaking through the border into Koinadugu District territory.
  2. There is a need to increase sensitizations, trainings, food, and logistics for the installed checkpoints until December 31, 2014.
  3. MORE sensitization and training is needed to reach new communities.
  4. Adequate logistics are needed to target numerous border crossing points.
  5. Sensitization should be increased with adequate time to accomplish it in target communities.
  6. Time lapses between sensitization and training periods should not be too long so that communities stay alive and proactive.
  7. The printing of campaign messages in local languages can enhance public education.
  8. Adult literacy programs are essential to creating awareness and alleviating illiteracy in the communities.
  9. CES will encourage fishing in the target communities and discourage animal hunting to avoid contact with bush meat.
  10. A total of 30 more border crossing points are desperately needed. The checkpoints restrict movement and the spread of Ebola into target communities. The District Medical Management Officer expressed satisfaction in a report to the District Medical Management Team about the excellent performance of the CES teams. This information was aired on the local radio station, Buntumani FM 93.7 and translated into the Krio, Limba, Madingo, Yalunka, Mende, Fula and Kuranko languages. 
 
Other NGOs have been impressed by the strategies CES employed.
 
The Koinadugu District Council Chairman, Mr. Samuel Sheku Kamara, and his top officials made a very brief call on the CES offuce to express his appreciation for a job well done. Two paramount chiefs also called personally to thank CES and World Renew for alerting their communities about the Ebola virus. They requested another visit to their chiefdom communities by CES as soon as possible.
 
The CES Ebola Sensitization Teams are grateful to World Renew and the Disaster Team for granting their support and the funds to bring a public health campaign that was very timely, and to protect some 650,000 people from the transmission and contraction of the Ebola virus. 

Prayers for Sierra Leone
Praise:

  • For the support the Christian Council of Sierra Leone (CCSL), received from churches and partners to continue to work towards preventing the spread of Ebola.
  • For the successful intervention by CES with support from World Renew, on Ebola education and prevention project which will last until the end of November. Many lives were saved as a result.
  • For good harvest especially for our SAFS 1 and SAFS 2 beneficiaries.
  • Praise God that despite the Ebola situation, CES sta is still able to sustain some work with their communities with the SFAS projects.
  • Praise God for the Intervention of the International Community in setting up Ebola treatment centers.

Requests:

  • The battle against Ebola in Sierra Leone is yet to be won. Pray for more commitment on the part of the government and key players.
  • Pray that the government will have enough food and other resources to provide to communities that are quarantined.
  • For more financial support for the Christian Council of Sierra Leone (CCSL), as they continue to work on Ebola education and prevention with churches.
  • Pray for good working relationship for me and the CES Board and field staff. That we would be able to sustain trust and cordial working relationship.
  • Pray that I will cope with working away from Kabala because of the Ebola crisis. This has not
    been easy, especially when writing reports.
  • Pray that WAMT will agree on a new date for the CES partner evaluation which was to be held this month but was cancelled because of the Ebola crisis.
  • Pray for the Kabala CRC that they may use the Ebola crisis to support each other through acts of mercy at this trying time.

Blessings,

Andrew Gwaivangmin

Program Consultant
World Renew Sierra Leone