LIFEBOAT

people use social media — especially WhatsApp — to send all kinds of messages.

“We listen to what’s happening on social media, especially on WhatsApp, and then we send the correct information out in our podcast,” Kallon continued. “If we are not on the apps, our listeners will be misled, so we have to take the lead in ensuring that people get the correct information that will prevent violence during the election because tensions are aring around things like that, so we have to be on top of the situation, otherwise, it will be disastrous.”

Despite the issues they face in providing news to last-mile communities, Sesay and Kallon said that the inspiration they have provided to women across Sierra Leone makes their e ort worth it. they want to become journalists now,” Kallon said. “We’ve become kind of an inspiration for these young girls who want to be journalists, advocates, all of it. It’s really triggering that kind of where women are building condence, we can speak hope, we can share our stories to each other,” Sesay said. “We’ve really inspired and created that space for women to speak up. And de nitely, I’m sure, most want to be like Auntie Alina.”

“We just keep telling them, ‘Just stay in school and you’ll be like me,’” Kallon replied.

Sesay said she hopes that the next decade of MMW will bring even more female empowerment and equity to Sierra Leone.

“MMW is 10 years in operation in Sierra Leone, and that means 10 years of resilience, working with communities and building a movement,” Sesay said. “So, by the next decade, we want to see strong women, stronger communities where we end violence against women, and have a very peaceful society.”

In the meantime, Sesay and Kallon will convene with a team of DU grad students assembled by Professor Renee Botta to help MMW with data collection and analysis, which will be used to create more tools to reach lastmile communities in the west African nation.