HEALTH AND SAFETY EXPERTS FROM NETHOPE VISITS THE SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGE FREETOWN

Ingolfur Harldsson and Bragi Rexnisson both Health and Safety experts from NetHope on Thursday, 29^th January, visited the SOS Children’s Village, Freetown. During their visit, they were welcomed by the National Communications Officer; Ms. Alimatu Koroma and the Children’s Village Secretary, Ms. Hussainatu Kamara who gave them a tour of the facility. Mr. Harldsson who is a sponsor of a child in one of the SOS Children’s Villages in Central African Republic said he was very impressed with SOS Children’s Village Freetown. “There are lots of difference between here-in the SOS Children’s Village and the streets. Its cleanliness amazed me” he stated.

His colleague Mr. Rexnisson said the Ebola situation in the country is very pathetic. “The faces of the people on the streets shows desperation but here- in the SOS Children’s Village everyone is smiling and do not worry too much. Everyone seems so happy!” 

At the end of the visit, Mr. Rexnisson said since they are in the country for a while he would love to visit the Children’s Village, Freetown again.

NetHope enables humanitarian organizations to better serve the developing world through smarter use of technology. Presently they are connecting organizations that are helping in the fight against Ebola in the affected countries. In Sierra Leone, SOS Children’s Villages is acting as a logistic base for ICT materials that will be used to provide connectivity to Ebola holding Centers, Ebola treatment Units and other NGO’s supporting the fight against the Ebola virus.

Recently, SOS Sierra Leone received $80,000 from NetHope as SOS coordinated ICT Ebola response fund to help in the fight against the Ebola Virus in partnership with the Emergency Telecommunication Cluster and British Telecommunications. With this fund, the five pairs of high gained Frequency Motorola Point-To-Point Links provided by BT and the equipment and technical support ETC provided through the Ericsson response package, SOS Children’s Villages Sierra Leone has extended its VISAT services to nine Ebola centers in the Southern Region.

There are presently, approximately 100 active users of the internet service provided by SOS Children’s Village, Bo including major actors in the fight against the epidemic like the Ministry of Social Welfare, the Bo Government Hospital Ebola Treatment Unit, Saint Mary’s Orphanage Home through Christian Brothers, Jonathan Child Care, and the District Health Medical Team Office including the District Ebola Response Coordinator’s Office.

“We are grateful to SOS Children’s Villages Sierra Leone and its partners, for this timely intervention in providing internet connectivity. It enhances communication in the Ebola Holding Centers with our District Ebola Response Coordinator’s Office,” stated Mercy a Nurse of the Bo Government Hospital Ebola Treatment Unit.