Covid-19 Action Plan 2020

Hagar Sanctuary in collaboration with Purposeful Production COVID-19 plan. March 2020

At the break of the Coronavirus Pandemic Disease (COVID19) the team in Freetown met to decide on an action plan at the beginning of March 2020.

Discussion points

• Following the confirmation of the first COVID-19 case on the 25th of March, all gathering over a 100 and religious gatherings were suspended.

• Therefore, we suspended our Saturday sessions after careful deliberation and 4th April 2020 session.

• We addressed infection control. We bought a Veronica Bucket, Hand Wash Soaps, Hand Sanitizers, Tissue wipes for use during our Saturday’s Life Skills Sessions in our Safe Space. We sent a proposal to our partner (Purposeful Production) who provided the financial resources to purchase the above items.

• 24th April strategy meeting with the mentors, community coordinator, Charity Support Officer and charity Finance/Admin Office.

• Our life skills sessions continued as our group was under the recommended quorum. We encouraged the washing of hands, the use of sanitizers and social distancing Guidelines as per World Health Organization and The Ministry of Health and Sanitation guidelines.

• Saturday's life skills session was suspended due to social distancing. Nonetheless, a WhatsApp group was created solely dedicated to this group to facilitata these sessions safely. The group was made up of the girls, our field workers, the mentors and our directors.

Life Skill's Session WhatsApp Aims

• To create a platform for the girls, to be raising their concerns pertaining their Academic and Personal life.

• To send encouraging words to the girls during the period of closure until the life skills sessions resumes

• For the girls to be sending questions on areas they are struggling with their Academic works

• For our mentors to be sending encouraging messages on how the girls should keep safe during the COVID19 break.

Our Girl's Education

Unfortunately, we approached, Sylvic Syndicate, which the girls have been using for extra clases to provide weekly assignments for the girls that are in the BECE and WASSCE classes. This request was abandon because the proprietor was not willing carry it forward.

In collaboration with Purposeful production and Hagar Sanctuary we decided on a support plan to keep the girls busy during this pandemic.

We will encourage the girls to write Poems, Plays, Songs and Choreography. As an incentive, the winning Poems, Plays, Songs and Choreography will be used for the 2020 Christmas programme. The winners and runners-up will be awarded prizes at our Christmas programme. The final date for submission for the above listed items in on the 29th of May 2020.

In collaboration with Purposeful Production the mentors will work with the girls to engage with the virtual Life Skill radio programme. The girls are divided in groups of five (5) supported by a mentor. After the teaching session, the girls will be given the opportunity to discuss and share the lessons learnt. The groups will be meeting three days a week at Kroo Bay community centre.

This programme is specifically for the residents of Kroo Bay community; our challenge now how do we support the other girls who are not part of the Kroo Bay community. the Monitoring will continue through regular phone calls and the team in the office will explore sending them assignments, to keep them busy.

Following an informal survey by the mentors, the feedback shows that the girls are not accessing the radio teaching programme by the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education because they don’t have radios at home.

Covid-19 Summary Action Plans

To facilitate the smooth and safe running of the COVID 19 plan these were what we had to put in place.

We provided the following items in collaboration with our pattern (Purposeful Production) for implement the COVID 19 plan in our new Safe space (Kroo Bay Community Centre)

• Veronica Bucket

• Soap- (consumable)

• Sanitizers (consumable)

• Tissue wipes (consumable)

• Masks for the mentors and the girls

• Gloves for the Mentors

• Mobile phone for the mentors

• Radio

• Solar lantern lights

The implementation of this plan tis plan commences on the week starting 18th May 2020. We will be assessing the implementation strategy as we go along and if need be will make necessary adjustment working closely with our partner.