The Gift that Keeps on Giving: 12 Reasons to Celebrate this Holiday Season
This year, our communities proved to us the power in partnership. 2023 marks the year of 4 new community partners, over 2,000 community members, and the introduction of new partnership projects that range from safe latrines, education maternal healthcare, and expanding our areas of expertise by working with communities on Land Use Mapping.
In celebration, here are 12 of our favorite accomplishments from our community partners that we’re celebrating this holiday season:
1. At the beginning of the year, Mandotawahun launched their second community project – construction of over 15 latrines for community-wide use. They are joining a group of healthier communities that see a reduction in diarrheal diseases by more than 75% after similar types of projects.
2. Forlu voted for a water well construction and rehabilitation of their old well. With only 10% of rural Sierra Leoneans having access to clean, readily available water, Forlu is joining us to increase the number of rural Sierra Leoneans with improved access to quality water sources.
3. Kambama improved access to clean water by constructing a gravity water supply system that provides clean water to over 1,000 people.
4. Peje Boama broke the mold by voting for Agricultural Productivity as their priority need and focus for their project. Did you know that in Sierra Leone a majority of income source is through agriculture? Peje Boama constructed a community dry store and trained 30 farmers on modern farming techniques and rice preservation methods. Projects like these help improve agricultural productivity among farmers and increase food security for families.
5. Magbema knows that a healthy community is a prosperous community. The community is constructing a community dry store with solar panels to preserve their farmers’ produce and minimize rodent infestation.
6. In partnership with UNDP, we partnered with over 21 rural communities to share the importance of land rights with our Participatory Land Use Mapping Project. Community members learned more about the Sierra Leone Customary Land Rights Act 2022, and its importance towards community sustainability. Communities also learned the need to include women and youth in land discussion, the rights of women to own land, benefits of community mapping, and land planning for future use. This type of knowledge has the power to change the agricultural trajectory for farmers, their families, and their communities.
7. Baaka Tentihun installed 2 rice milling machines to increase income and improve livelihoods in their community. Their project focused on training farmers on modern rice milling methods, facility use, and ways to increase income in a sustainable way.
8. Massayiema took their WASH project to the next level! In addition to constructing new latrines, they provided accessible latrine keys for children. In rural communities, children are often sent out into bushy areas to openly defecate. Massayiema used this project as an opportunity to educate parents on the dangers of allowing their children to go outside to defecate and teach safe sanitation practices.
9. Lalehun constructed a Junior Secondary School and formed a school advocacy team and PTA to ensure that the school provides quality education for their students. With this new school, teenage pregnancies and child labor will reduce in Lalehun and surrounding communities, and families will be able to send their children to school within their own community.
10. Makka took general health seriously by completing the construction of a new community clinic. This clinic will serve at least 6 other neighboring communities and reduce maternal mortality rates drastically.
11. Kigbai constructed a community barray (a meeting place) to improve their community’s local governance and improve inclusive leadership. This meeting space allows for all community members (men and women) to freely provide opinions and trains leaders in fair and inclusive decision making.
12. What’s our twelfth reason to celebrate? Over 41,900 people have seen the impact of multi-dimensional poverty reduced in their lives because of supporters like you! You have helped over 40,000 people fight multi-dimensional poverty in their communities. With each community prioritizing different poverty related challenges, your partnership is changing lives!
Thank you for making this holiday season memorable for our community partners and for helping us finish this year strong. We only have the highest hopes for 2024.
Happy holidays!
Your friends, OneVillage Partners