By Fanta S. Jalloh
Schools across Sierra Leone are set to benefit from a significant health initiative as a shipment of 2,400 boxes of First Aid Kits arrived on Tuesday 11th March, 2025 at the Freetown International Airport, Lungi.

The consignment, procured through UNICEF with funding from the World Bank, is part of the Sierra Leone Free Education Project, which aims to enhance student well-being by ensuring access to essential medical supplies.
These First Aid Kits will be distributed nationwide to assist in emergency medical treatments and create a safer learning environment. This shipment is a key part of broader efforts to strengthen the education sector by addressing critical health and safety challenges in schools.
The initiative is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), with exclusive funding from the World Bank. The distribution of the First Aid Kits is expected to begin soon, equipping schools with the necessary medical resources to handle emergencies effectively.
In his statement, the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, said the consignment is a significant milestone in their commitment to ensuring the health and safety of students across Sierra Leone.
The Minister said the arrival of the first consignment of 2,400 First Aid Kits, procured through UNICEF with generous funding from the World Bank, marks a crucial step in their efforts to create safer learning environments for the children.
He said the initiative aligns with the government’s broader vision under the Sierra Leone Free Education Project, ensuring that every school is equipped with the necessary medical supplies to address emergencies and protect student well-being.
According to Conrad Sackey, “In 2022, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, we developed and launched the National School Health Policy, a framework that prioritizes the health and safety of students in all educational institutions. Today, we reaffirm our commitment by distributing First Aid Kits to 8,187 schools across the country, benefiting over 2.3 million learners in primary and secondary institutions. Each kit contains essential medical supplies, including bandages, antiseptics, and other critical items, ensuring that schools are better prepared to handle medical emergencies. This initiative is not just about providing supplies; it is about fostering a culture of safety, where teachers and staff have the necessary tools and training to respond effectively to emergencies”
The Minister furthered that the success of this initiative is made possible through the unwavering support of their esteemed partners - the World Bank, UNICEF, the Ministry of Health, and other key stakeholders, including Norwegian Air Shuttle and the multi-donor trust fund.
He said the aforesaid partners’ contributions reflect a shared vision of safeguarding the future of our youth by ensuring a healthy and conducive learning environment.
The Minister said a comprehensive training manual on the use of First Aid Kits has been developed to maximize the impact of the initiative.
He further urged all school administrators and educators to actively engage in these training sessions to ensure proper utilization of these resources.
Conrad Sackey said the distribution process will commence shortly, and they will ensure that every school receives its allocation in a timely manner.
The Minister encouraged all education stakeholders to work collaboratively in making this initiative a success, ensuring that no child is left vulnerable due to a lack of basic medical care.
UNICEF Representative in Sierra Leone, Rudolf Schwenk, said they were celebrating a significant milestone in their collective commitment to ensure safe and healthy learning environments for children in Sierra Leone.
He averred that the delivery is the first of nearly 8,200 kits procured by UNICEF for the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, made possible through the generous contributions of the World Bank, FCDO, Irish Aid, and the European Union.
Rudolf Schwenk said the initiative is not just about medical supplies; it symbolizes their unwavering dedication to protecting children, safeguarding their right to education, and ensuring their well-being.
According to him, “A child’s ability to learn and grow is deeply connected to their safety and health, and through this effort, we are equipping schools with essential tools to respond to emergencies. This act of solidarity highlights the immense impact of private sector engagement, and I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Norwegian Air Shuttle for their continued partnership with UNICEF since 2014, delivering life-saving supplies to children across the world, including in the Central African Republic, Jordan, Mali, Yemen, Chad, Ethiopia, and now, Sierra Leone” he averred.
Rudolf Schwenk thanked the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) and its development partners for their steadfast support to strengthening education and healthcare for children.
He said the provision of these kits aligns with Sierra Leone’s Comprehensive Safe Schools Policy 2023, reinforcing our shared vision of building safer and more resilient educational environments.