SLSDWA Female Rep. Schools Northern Region Swimmers on Menstrual Hygiene, Sexual Harassments

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson 

As part of the Association’s decentralization ambition, Madam Hawa Dauda, the female representative of the Sierra Leone Swimming Diving and Water-polo Association–(SLSDWA) on Saturday schooled ten female swimmers in the Northern Region on Menstrual Hygiene, sexual harassments safety and related swimming best practices.

Held at the Country house pool premises on the Makeni-Magburaka Highway, over the weekend, the training was called to order by the Northern Region Secretary, followed by brief statements from the Female Swimmers Coach AhmedMuctarr Koroma and the SLSDWA President in the Northern Region both encouraged the trainees to be attentive throughout the training, saying “this training is very important and will help to polish the future for you all to become professional and healthily swimmers the region and the nation would be proud of.”

In her opening remarks, the trainer Madam Hawa Dauda who’s also a female journalist working with Mercury Radio in Freetown said, “This training is part of our effort as national executive members of the Sierra Leone Swimming Diving and Water-polo Association–(SLSDWA) to decentralize the sport nationwide.”She continued that the clinic specifically means a lot for both the trainees and her as the female representative of the association. 

“As your representative, my primary mandate is to not only serve as a link between you the female swimmers and the rest of the membership and our valuable partners but to provide you all with the much needed education and mentoring to see you all develop the best way as female swimmers that will fly high our national flag in the international stage is part of my very many mandates,” she stated. 

Madam Dauda went on to facilitate two sessions on Menstrual Hygiene, sexual harassments safety and related swimming best practices. In each of the topics covered, she did entertain robust dialogue between herself and the trainees on the does and don’ts and how to stay healthy and tidy during their menstrual cycles, how to use sanitary pads correctly among others. 

Trainees were also schooled on sexual harassment, guided on how to resist and report sexual harassments, as how to become world classswimmers, and were encouraged to avoid involving into marital affairs, urged to be cautious with their education and swimming careers. 

The excited trainees where also schooled on practical swimming best practices told journalists that they were pleased with the responses provided to their numerous questions asked during the clinic, and acknowledged that they were returning home with refreshed minds.

“With the valuable knowledge we have acquired from today’s clinic, our minds and hearts are now very refreshed, and we’re returning to our various communities with huge determination to put on their best in their education and swimming careers to become some of the female swimming greats,” the trainees added. 

The day's clinic was climaxed by donation of training gears and sanitary kits by the SLSDWA Female representative, on behalf of the National President Mr. Mohamed Turay, to all of the ten female swimmers in the northern region that benefited from the day's course.