Liberia: Former WaterAid Team Leader honored
By: WASH R&E “Media” Network – With nearly four years of active service, Mr. Nwafor has not only been a Team Leader but also a major team player who has significantly contributed to the speedy progress of the WASH sectors in both Liberia and Sierra Leone.
His active service has earned him admirations from partners of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector including Civil Society and Service Delivery Organizations, local and international NGOs, and even the Government of the Republic of Liberia and Staff of WaterAid Liberia and Sierra Leone.
At a well-attended farewell program organized by WaterAid, Mr. Nwafor said he was especially happy to serve in Liberia and commanded all WASH sector players for the support.
“Liberia is a great country and I wouldn’t have been successful without the partnership of all of you”, Apollos told the gathering that evening on April 3, 2014.
He said he was happy he served in Liberia and was able to successfully carry out his task because all of those he interacted with have been cooperative.
“Liberia will always remain in my heart and I will always remember all of you and will be in contact as well”, Apollos asserted.
He said he was happy and proud to be a part of the growth of the WASH sector including the development of policies that ensure access to improved WASH facilities across Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Mr. Nwafor said he was also happy that Liberian President and WASH Goodwill Ambassador for Africa, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has named members of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Board, something he says makes him proud as he leaves Liberia.
He also described the initiative as important and a major milestone in the WASH sector of Liberia.
Earlier, the out-going Water Aid Liberia / Sierra Leone Team Leader commended local partners in the WASH sector in Liberia for the level of cooperation received during his tenure.
According to Apollos Nwafor, the cooperation of local partners has contributed immensely to gains made in the sector.
Mr. Nwafor noted that without the support from local partners his work in Liberia would have not been successful.
He also extolled efforts of the Liberian government and international partners for contributions to his work which greatly impacted the lives of the people in having access to safe drinking water, improved sanitation and hygiene services.
Mr. Nwafor equally commanded staff of WaterAid Liberia and Sierra Leone for their hard work and commitment to duty which made his tenure successful.
The Farewell Program in honor of the out-going Team Leader by WaterAid Staff brought together local and international partners, the government of Liberia, and the Office of the President on WASH, among others.
During the tenure of Mr. Apollos Nwafor as Team Leader of WaterAid in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the organization reinforced its Rural WASH Projects in Maryland, River Gee and Grand Kru Counties with the aim of reaching 50,000 poor people with sustainable, safe and inclusive water sources.
WaterAid supported-WASH Projects also target 60,000 people with access to sustainable and improved sanitation facilities within the period of 3 years.
The projects also focus on the construction and rehabilitating of water and sanitation infrastructures including boreholes, hand dug wells, institutional latrines and implementing Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS).
Mr. Nwafor was in the fore front influencing positive policy changes that have strengthened and supported delivery of WASH services within Liberia and Sierra Leone.
He made WaterAid played a cardinal role during a review carried out in June 2012 that revealed many gains made on influencing and the progress made so far on service delivery.
The out-going WaterAid Team Leader promoted a developmental approach in very difficult terrains where humanitarian and other forms of hand-outs were prevalent.
He buttressed works done by CSO partners at national and local levels on advocating for poor people’s right to WASH services and ensuring positive policy measures to secure and provide the rights of poor people to water, sanitation and hygiene.
Mr. Nwafor was also instrumental in the formation of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Reporters & Editors Network of Liberia (WASH R&E) and the West Africa WASH Journalists Network.
Apollos Nwafor is now the Regional Advocacy Manager(RAM) for WaterAid with assignment in Dakar, Senegal, while Joe Lambongang-WaterAid Regional Program Manager(RPM) is managing the affairs of WaterAid in Liberia and Sierra Leone until a New Team Leader is named.
