On Tuesday, 15th July 2025, the Tzu Chi Foundation, in collaboration with Caritas Freetown, launched a six-day cleaning and sensitization campaign in three major slum communities in Freetown: Kroo Bay, Dwarzark, and Susan’s Bay.
The initiative, which runs daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Sunday, 20th July, is aimed at promoting disaster preparedness and environmental sanitation as the rainy season intensifies. Approximately 45 volunteers have been deployed at each site, working under the coordination of the Community Disaster Committees (CDCs).
To support the effort, the Tzu Chi Foundation provided cleaning tools and protective gear, including shovels, wheelbarrows, head pans, rakes, gloves, rain boots, and raincoats. The Freetown City Council’s parrot vehicle is also being used to broadcast key messages on proper waste disposal and disaster risk reduction across the communities.
Such marks the third cleaning exercise conducted by Tzu Chi Foundation in these communities over the past three years. In addition to these efforts, the Foundation has also provided grants to local leaders and residents to support long-term resilience and development.
A representative from Tzu Chi emphasized the importance of evaluating the impact of past cleaning initiatives and encouraged workers to clean key infrastructure such as drainage systems, culverts, and public spaces thoroughly. “Maintaining a clean environment is critical to ensuring our collective safety, especially during the rainy season,” the representative noted.
Residents were also sensitized on the importance of proper waste disposal and urged to take good care of the tools provided so they can be reused for future community projects.
Many residents expressed appreciation for the initiative, while calling on Tzu Chi and its partners to sustain the momentum. “Now that the rains are heavy, waste from the city canter often flows down into our communities. Continued support for cleaning efforts is essential,” one community member remarked.
