Village Partnerships: Masongbo
Population: 360
Households: 23
Status: Completed
Location: Bombali District, Sierra Leone
GPS Coordinates: N08 52.330 W 12 06.229
Village History
Prior to any World Hope International involvement in Masongbo, the village was in desperate need of clean water, improved education, leadership development and greater food security. Located 11 miles from the WHI-Sierra Leone office in the principle town of Makeni, the majority of villagers are farmers surrounded by vast land suitable for rice, cassava and peanut cultivation and the rearing of domestic animals. A village Chief is appointed by the Chiefdom Paramount Chief and a group of elders assist the chief in running the activities of the village.
Traditionally farmers save seeds for next year’s planting, but the people of Masongbo endured “hungry months” during the dry season as they did not have enough seeds to produce staple crops, including rice and peanuts, to last all year. Any surplus harvest was put at risk of being damaged or stolen by pests as no secure storage facility was built in the village. These realities prevented the achievement of full food security.
In addition, the village had a protected, hand-dug well that was of little use because it dried up in the hot climate during the peak of dry season. Without a safe, year-round water supply, people were forced to consume contaminated water. This caused diarrhea, dehydration and even death, especially among young children. Although the village had 14 pit latrines, they were in poor condition. The people of Masongbo lacked knowledge about how disease is spread, leading to poor hygiene and, consequently, the spread of preventable illness. It is six miles to the nearest health clinic in the event of disease.
A temporary school for young children operated in a small grass hut without any qualified, government paid teachers. Without the opportunity for a quality education, children were unable to reach their full potential.
Completed Activities & Impact
Village Development Committee (VDC) formed
WHI works with each village to form and train a Village Development Committee. Community members elect trustworthy people of good reputation to serve on the VDC, including religious leaders, chiefs, head farmers and women. The VDC works with WHI to encourage participation in development activities, steward project resources and hold their community accountable. The committee strategizes about future development planning and discusses solutions to current problems, acting as the primary change agent in the village through collective action.
Completion of Wesleyan Church Primary School of Masongbo
The newly constructed Wesleyan Church Primary School of Masongbo was dedicated in May of 2011. Located near the entrance of the village, classes began in the new three room-building in September, just four months later. In April 2012, students of The Wesleyan Church Primary School of Masongbo were given new desks and chairs to help improve their learning environment. By the end of last term, school enrollment for first through fourth grade increased from 89 to 102 students. The school has one trained, qualified teacher and two other volunteer teachers who are unpaid. The head teacher is provided for by the Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone.
Seed banks established, rice and peanut seeds distributed
Seed banks provide a constant source of seeds for Masongbo. When it is time to plant, farmers receive a portion of seeds from a seed bank, which is managed by the VDC. After harvest, farmers return the amount of seed they loaned from the group with minimal interest. Seed banks mobilize community resources to provide for the common good, strengthening the entire village.
Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of farm and harvest activities
WHI staff regularly visits villages to monitor VDC progress and to join them in planning the next phases of their community development. Farmers are taught better methods for selecting seeds and preserving them for next year’s planting and how to protect seeds and crops from pests.
Hygiene Training
Soap is distributed to families, complemented by instructions to wash hands after using the toilet and before eating. Demonstrations are conducted on effective hand washing techniques and village members are trained in the proper disposal of human waste. A monthly cleaning schedule is created as a constant reminder to the community. These measures have a broad impact in the village and improve the health of all.
Mosquito net distribution
Malaria poses a constant threat to the people of Masongbo. Mosquitos that carry the disease are most active at night. By sleeping under an insecticide treated bed net, the risk of contracting malaria is reduced. Mosquito nets were distributed to every household with children under five years of age or a pregnant woman. The nets are accompanied by awareness and prevention training, which motivates families to use the nets for maximum health benefit.
Poultry Project
Families were assisted in constructing poultry houses and chicks were distributed. This improved breed of chick lays more eggs, providing for better nutrition and yielding surplus eggs for sale. The income gained from the sale of eggs is used for livelihood support and to pay school fees for children. More eggs also means more protein in the diet of village children, an important component in physical and mental development.
Latrines constructed
When individuals don't have a toilet to use, human waste gets into the water supply--often the same water supply that people use to fetch water for drinking, bathing, cooking and cleaning. This contaminated water carries deadly diseases. Proper waste facilities are necessary for reducing preventable disease caused by poor hygiene.
Drying floor
Drying floors are constructed so that seeds can be properly stored through the wet season. They enable farmers to thoroughly dry their kernels so they do not mold in storage. Preparation of this sort allows for higher yields to save and use for income generation, an important source of food security.
Goat Multiplication project
In order to maintain a stable year-round income, it is important farmers raise different types of animals that can survive drought periods, are easy to manage and hardy. Not only can goats survive in harsh conditions, but they reproduce faster than other livestock and there is a strong market for goat meat. Goat procurement and production is important to improving food security in rural communities.
Clean Water Well
A new borehole well was drilled in December 2013. The well brings a consistent source of clean water year-round, a welcome reprieve from the previously existing hand-dug well. Before, the hand-dug well would dry up at the peak of the dry season and force villagers to use water from a contaminated source. This left the community vulnerable to preventable water-borne disease. Now, villagers can drink and wash, year-round, without fear of sickness.
Animal Husbandry Training
It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of the world’s poorest people live in rural areas. Many rely on agriculture to provide for their families, and animals are key to sustained livelihoods. WHI helps train farmers to care for goats and other livestock, which are essential for nutrition and income. Farmers learn basic ways to care for and feed livestock, along with trainings animal vaccination and reproduction. Offspring are passed on to other needy families in the village, creating a sustainable livestock cycle.
Formation of Mother's Support Group
In partnership with UNICEF, WHI forms Mother's Support Gropup in vulnerable communities to promote child nutrition, exclusive breastfeeding, infant and child care and health education. Specifically, mothers are empowered to initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth, breastfeed exclusively for the first six months and continue to breastfeed for two years or more, together with nutritionally adequate, safe, age appropriate, responsive complementary feeding starting at six months. more protein in the diet of village children, an important component in physical and mental development.