Safety Training Benefits Rokassa Students and Community
Published Wed, Apr 27, 2022
Written by Sarah Pietryga
In developed countries, good community and occupational health and safety practices are well established practices, but not in rural Sierra Leone. So, when the NGO “JSB Safety Solution Limited Salone” offered to come to Rokassa to provide training in accident prevention and occupational health and safety, EduNations’ leaders were happy to cooperate for the betterment of students, workers, and the Rokassa community as a whole.
JSB’s training included a wide span of EduNations’ teachers and students (from upper primary to senior secondary school level) as well as community stakeholders in a collaborative environment. Also notable was the inclusion of women, frequently neglected in education and training efforts, in recognition of their importance in creating healthy, safe communities.
The training presented a healthy and safe environment as a fundamental right for all in Sierra Leone, which for many was a very new concept. Training covered a broad span of important topics, from operation of farm equipment (very important in an agricultural society) to public transportation (e.g. drivers must not carry more passengers than their vehicle permit allows) and safe river crossing. And since venomous snake bites are common in Sierra Leone, and too often fatal, participants were trained in snake bite avoidance and first aid.
While EduNations operates schools, we’re happy to work with other organizations whose expertise complements our own since our vision includes having educated young people serving as future leaders in thriving communities. This was a beneficial opportunity for many in the community and we are thankful to JSB for facilitating this training.
