REVISED OPERATION CLEAN FREETOWN SCHEDULE TAKES ADVANTAGE OF WIDESPREAD COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND

The team behind Operation Clean Freetown is revising the schedule for the intensive citywide clean to take advantage of the increased volumes of waste being generated by extensive public participation in the big clean, combined with the early onset of the rains. The President’s Delivery Team said: “To date, we have been very pleased by the way that communities are really taking advantage of the opportunity to clean their surroundings. The early start of the rainy season is also proving useful because it is uncovering waste that would otherwise have remained hidden. To make the most of these opportunities, we are reverting to our original plan to clean one ward each day, and will be publishing revised schedules on a weekly basis.” Operation Clean Freetown is an improved waste management process, consisting of door-to-door household waste collection, an intensive clean of Freetown, awareness raising of the health benefits of better waste management and increased enforcement of bye-laws. It is being led by Freetown City Council and Western Area Rural District Council (WARD C), working with the President’s Delivery Team, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and the Freetown WASH consortium The intensive clean of Freetown started on Friday 19th May in Ward 326 (Leicester, Regent, Gloucester, Hill Station). Deputy Health Minister II, Zuliatu Cooper, the Councilor Margaret Kargbo and Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Team Lead of the President’s Delivery Team took part in community awareness raising and the distribution of cleaning equipment such as rubbish bags, shovels, gloves, rakes, rain boots and wheelbarrows, as well as other supplies to community leaders. When cleaning operations began on Monday 22nd May, the councilor worked alongside village heads, tribal heads, religious and other community leaders, and private companies to successfully marshal their communities to take part in the intensive clean. Ward 326 was followed by Ward 327 (Grafton, Rokel, Yams Farm, Devil Hole, Deep Eye Water) on Tuesday 23rd May, Ward 346 (Mayenkeneh and Pamuronkoh) on Wed 24th May and Ward 347 (Allen Town) on Thursday 25th May.