A devastating fire in Freetown leaves thousands homeless and in shock

On the evening of 24 March 2021, a terrible fire burnt down the shanty town of Susan's Bay in Freetown, capital city of Sierra Leone. Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is providing psychological support to the victims.

The shanty town of Susan's Bay, in Freetown, after the fire | © HI

Following the devastating fire in the camp, Humanity & Inclusion’s (HI’s) teams immediately worked to help the victims, including many people with disabilities and families who were already benefiting from the organisation's projects.

Urgent aid

HI is providing psychological support to people affected by the disaster and is coordinating the efforts of other NGOs who are also supporting with psychosocial sessions. These emergency psychological support sessions give people impacted by the fire a space to be listened to. People are able to speak openly about their experiences. This is an important first step to help them overcome shock or trauma.

HI also plans to help people with physical disabilities by replacing their mobility aids that they have lost in the fire. The organisation will also help other NGOs to provide inclusive humanitarian assistance, suitable for people with disabilities.

Evaluation of the needs

HI is involved with the National Disaster Management Agency in assessing humanitarian needs. 8,000 people were affected by the fire, 400 of these people were injured. 254 houses have been completely destroyed. These families, already extremely poor, lost everything in the flames. For the time being, they have found refuge in schools or in tents.

140 people have been identified as having a disability. The HI team will visit these individuals to collect more information and analyse their specific needs.

Date published: 30/03/21