KEY MESSAGES ON MASS REGISTRATION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN RURAL COMMUNITIES...

In the early part of the year, 2023, the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) and its partners including the Sierra Leone Union on Disability Issues (SLUDi) and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities completed mass registration of Persons with Disabilities in all district headquarters towns. The essence of the exercise was to help provide reliable data on the population of Persons with Disabilities for the Social Protection Registry for Integrated Targeting (SPRINT) and enhance efficiency in targeting and enrolment.  As part of the Government of Sierra Leone’s commitment to promoting an inclusive social protection system, thirty-eight per cent (38%) of beneficiaries of the just-ended Social Safety Nets (SSN) project were persons with disability.

NaCSA and partners have on Monday 18th December 2023, commenced mass registration of Persons with Disabilities in the rural communities of Bo, Kailahun, Tonkolili and Kambia districts. The public should kindly be informed that the registration exercise does not attract any form of immediate benefit. The exercise is intended to provide data for updating the existing database on persons with disabilities kept at NaCSA.

During the exercise, households with persons with disabilities registered during the cash transfer programme or early mass registration exercise implemented by NaCSA to also register. This is necessary as relevant information such as the National Identification Number (NIN) will be captured to update details on persons with disabilities and other members of the households.

Persons with disabilities in the households will be identified and registered alongside two other members including the head of household and a caregiver of the persons with disabilities, if different from the head of household.

The Commission and its partners kindly request your cooperation as the exercise will require your time to provide the required information. Kindly note that the team (i.e. the Commission and its partners) is aware of the sensitive nature of the data collected and at this moment wishes to assure you all of existing security preventing any potential misuse.

The public is also cautioned that no one should offer or pay anything to be registered. Any attempted extortion or corrupt practice must be reported to the ACC using the toll-free number 515, directly to ACC Community Monitors or other ACC officials and NaCSA district staff. We thank you for your understanding and continued interest and confidence in the work of the Commission.

*For further information on this and other matters, don't hesitate to get in touch with Umaru Samai, Project Officer- Information Education and Communication on +23277022709/+23276378993 umarusamai@nacsa.gov.sl*