By Amin Kef (Ranger)
The Director General (DG) of the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA), Madam Musayeroh Barrie, has made a personal donation of a water well to the people of Royeama Community in Maforki Chiefdom, Port Loko District, bringing relief to residents who have lived for over 30 years without access to safe drinking water.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony on Thursday, May 14, 2026, Madam Musayeroh Barrie described the intervention as part of her personal commitment to humanity and giving back to society, stressing that the initiative was not funded by Government but through her personal Zakat obligation as a Muslim.
“For over 30 years, this community lived without access to safe drinking water. Today, seeing hope restored brings me great joy and peace,” she said.
Madam Musayeroh Barrie emphasized that the donation was entirely personal explaining that helping vulnerable communities gain access to basic necessities such as clean water remains one of the most meaningful ways of fulfilling religious obligations.
“When I made this donation, I must say this is not a Government donation; it is my personal Zakat. As Muslims, we are commanded to give out Zakat annually. One of the best ways to do that is to help people who are in need of basic things. Water is life, as we all know and it is really important for everyone to have access to safe drinking water,” she stated.
Addressing community members, especially children and young girls present at the event, the SLCAA Director General urged parents to prioritize education and nurture the next generation of leaders.
“I see a lot of young children here today, especially the young girls. I encourage our mothers to pay keen attention to them. They will be the leaders of tomorrow,” Madam Musayeroh Barrie said.
Reflecting on her own journey, she noted that she became the first female Director General of Civil Aviation in Sierra Leone and West Africa, crediting President Julius Maada Bio for believing in young people and women’s empowerment.
“As you see me here today, I am the first female Director General of Civil Aviation in Sierra Leone and West Africa, all thanks to President Bio. Because of President Bio’s belief in young people, I am also the youngest DG in the world,” she remarked.
She further encouraged the youth to take education seriously, noting that background should never define one’s future.
“All of us have our own family background but our future is in God’s hand. So, I encourage you all to take your education seriously because any one of you here can be somebody tomorrow,” she encouraged.
Expressing joy over the completion of the project, Madam Musayeroh Barrie said despite her demanding official schedule, she felt compelled to witness the transformation firsthand after being encouraged by project facilitator, Unisa.
“As for the well, I am more than happy to be here today. I had a busy schedule at the office but I was urged by Unisa to be here today. Sometimes when you do acts of charity like this it is not for you to be known,” she said.
She also called on citizens to contribute positively to national development in their individual capacities rather than depending solely on Government intervention.
“We all as individuals have a role to play. It is not always Government. From the little that I have, I have contributed something meaningful. If we all do the little that we can, we can go far,” Madam Musayeroh Barrie stated, while thanking Unisa Totti Fofanah, Executive Director, Bai Bureh Heritage Foundation for his dedication and trust throughout the implementation of the project.
Speaking on behalf of the implementing team, Unisa Totti Fofanah, Executive Director, Bai Bureh Heritage Foundation, expressed gratitude to Madam Musayeroh Barrie for taking time from her busy schedule to visit the community and witness the impact of the initiative.
“We want to thank God for this day because it is very important to us and the people. We also want to thank our sister here for leaving her busy schedule to make time for this visit,” he said.
According to Unisa Totti Fofanah, the project was facilitated through the Bai Bureh Heritage Foundation, an organization dedicated to identifying pressing community problems and connecting philanthropists to provide solutions.
“Our work is to identify where problems are and advocate to philanthropists to solve those problems. This community has been in existence for over thirty years and still struggled to have safe drinking water,” he explained.
He revealed that prior to the intervention, residents especially children were forced to walk long distances to fetch water, often arriving late to school and facing dangers, including snake bites.
Unisa Totti Fofanah further disclosed that skepticism initially surrounded the project due to years of broken promises made to the community by previous individuals and organizations.
“From our interaction with them they informed us that they had received several promises which did not come to fruition and that caused skepticism when we informed them of our plans to build a water facility,” he noted.
He explained that the team had no prior connection to the community, adding that their engagement began solely because of the project and a desire to positively impact lives.
“When we were given the funds, Madam Musayeroh Barrie informed us that she wanted to help people struggling to have safe drinking water,” he said.
Highlighting the scale of the intervention, Unisa Totti Fofanah disclosed that the water well reaches a depth of 21 meters, making it one of the deepest wells in Port Loko District, according to the district’s senior water well technician.
The commissioning of the water facility is expected to significantly ease the burden on Royeama residents, improve sanitation and health conditions and support school attendance among children who previously spent hours searching for water.
