From Security Guard To Sierra Leone’s Only Female Physic Teacher In Moyamba Who Created Prototype Water Distillation System: Meet Juliet Bio Mondeh

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Last updated: 2021/08/11 at 3:30 AM

By Sallu Kamuskay Published August 11, 2021 293 Views 7 Min Read

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From Security Guard To Sierra Leone's Only Female Physic Teacher In Moyamba Who Created Prototype Water Distillation System: Meet Juliet Bio Mondeh

Born in Kono, Juliet Bio Mondeh is Sierra Leonean Innovator and only youngest female physics teacher in her school in Moyamba District, Rural Sierra Leone. Juliet recently presented her prototype water distillation system to a team of both national and international experts to experiment. Juliet hopes her idea will leap into reality while responding to a local challenge. Juliet attended the Jubilee International School Conakry Guinea. Life growing up was very challenging for Juliet because her father was a teacher and her mother was a trader. At a very tender age, Juliet had to divide her time for school, studies, and helping her mother sell at the Market. Juliet most times help her mother during the holidays and weekend, despite these challenges, she never lost hope of becoming the woman she is today. Her parents ensured they never went to bed hungry.

Juliet Bio Mondeh presenting her prototype water distillation system to national experts to experiment

Juliet moved to Freetown to take her WASSCE exams, speaking to Salone Messenger, Juliet told us that this was the most difficult decision she took moving to Freetown, with no friends, no family members at the time, Juliet started working as a security guard to be able to cover some bills. “It’s wasn’t easy for me working at night and going to class in the morning, it was challenging for me as a woman.” She told us at Salone Messenger.

Juliet grew up in a community where the water crisis is a major challenge, this prompted Juliet into finding solutions within her reach, and she went into innovation to find possible answers to the challenge face in her community. “Looking at my community, they do not have access to pipe borne water supply so people resort to other alternatives such as drinking water from unprotected wells, they buy sachets water and not all can afford it. Only the working class can afford it, especially visitors even I cannot afford it all the times. In addition, I had an opportunity to talk with one of the senior medical personnel who explained their challenges in getting distill water. Seeing this situation, I started thinking of ways to purify water that will be cost-effective. So this was what led me to start working on a Solar Water Distiller.” She told us at Salone Messenger

Because Juliet understands that not everyone can afford to buy water in her community all the time because it is expensive and the one available is not purified, she embarked on a journey to ensure that her solution is both purify and affordable

“Finding ways to solve this problem in Moyamba District is to provide a purified and safe water for drinking at an affordable price and to provide distilled water for the hospitals in Moyamba as my immediate market. I will widen my scope as time goes on”

Like many innovators trying to find solutions in Africa, the challenges they go through are numerous, Juliet is no excuse. From skill gap, knowledge gap, mentorship, and many more.

“The challenges that I was facing in my line of work were skill gap, knowledge gap, mentorship gap, and funding gap. Brainstorming with experts to get clarity or mentorship before was challenging for me. Finding fellow Innovators and who to meet, a sort of network, was impossible but I thank God for UNDP Accelerator lab that has helped and supported me to close these gaps.”

Juliet is currently working with the UNDP Accelerator lab to develop a standard prototype solar distiller wherein samples will be collected for testing and certification by Standard Bureau, Sierra Leone Pharmaceutical Board, and other experts after which she is looking forward to establishing her own water company, which will be highly equipped with alternative methods to increase production throughout the year.

“One of my greatest achievements in life, well, first as a teacher, it is the joy of every teacher to see their students making it to the university after imparting knowledge into them. As the only female physics teacher in the entire district, it is an achievement to be able to impact knowledge into my students, and they making progress in my subject in external exams. Also as an Innovator, being able to identify a problem in my immediate society that can be addressed is an achievement. In addition, me coming into contact with the UNDP Accelerator Lab which has boosted my motivation and provided me the required skills and support I needed to achieve my goals is probably the greatest achievement in my life.”

She told us at Salone Messenger

Aside from innovation and being a teacher, Juliet is also into agriculture.

When asked about her message to the young innovator, she said

“My message to young Innovators will be for them to be determined to achieve whatever they are aspiring to achieve in life. It is not easy for young people in this part of the world, especially young Innovators, there are a lot of gaps but thank God now there is UNPD accelerator Lab in the country that is working with young Innovators to make their dreams come through. If you have an idea or you are an Innovator you can contact UNDP accelerator Lab in 2030 and they will pick it up from there.

TAGGED: Juliet Bio Mondeh, Salone Messenger

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By Sallu Kamuskay

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Sallu Kamuskay is a Sierra Leonean communication strategist, fixer, blogger, youth organiser, event manager, spokesperson, and public relations expert. His work has been regularly referenced and published by national and international media and public policy institutions. Sallu Kamuskay was a child during the brutal war in Sierra Leone. Growing up in the midst of conflict, Sallu witnessed unimaginable abuse of children and gross violations of human rights. The horrors he witnessed during the Civil War had a terrible impact on him at a very tender age. But despite the shock of the war, Sallu never lost hope. He started on a journey of recovery, studying, and working for a better future. At age 15, Sallu entered into the world of activism and advocacy. Sallu Kamuskay was the Vice President of the Young Leaders Organisation, a member of the National Youth Council. The Young Leaders is one of the oldest youth-led organisations in West Africa. The organisation was formed by a group of young leaders, and launched by the then Head of State/President of Sierra Leone. Sallu was part of the group of young leaders who participated in and contributed to the establishment of the National Youth Council. The Commonwealth supported the training for trainers programme with line ministries and youth stakeholders in which key, representatives of youth council, student union and civil society/private sector youth platforms were engaged and empowered in the effective engagement and inclusion of youth. Sallu is co-founder and Executive Director of the Salone Messenger, a global multimedia and public relations firm based In Sierra Leone. Sallu has worked on various developmental and policy issues such as Poverty, Climate Change, Human rights, Child Rights, Education, Health, Gender Equality, Civic Engagement, Government policies, Information Communication Technology for Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, and has also been contributing to various global events and advocacy campaigns. Sallu Kamuskay is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Salone Messenger, a global Multimedia and Public Relations Firm based in Sierra Leone with the latest news and information, on top stories, business, politics, entertainment, and more. Sallu is working with a leading technology company in Africa, Techfrica, that has recently developed and launched a social media, messaging Supfrica with over 150,000 downloads on the Google play store in less than 4 days. He is the Adviser and Media coordinator for the App to give people the platform to connect and communicate to help shape their future with a very fast internet that allows users that live in deprived and hard-to-reach areas with poor internet facility to be able to communicate as it allows and stronger on 2 and 3 G network reception. Sallu has over 9 years of experience in youth engagement, inclusion, and coordination both at local and global levels, giving voice to young people and engaging young people to build a better world. He has served as coordinator for the Wave Alliance which brought together youth-led organisations who attended an international training in South Africa organized by the International Organization – Waves for Change. Sallu is working with the MLT, Waves For Change, and the Government to develop safe spaces for young people, with a view to contributing to the overall development goals of young people including health, as well as to community rebuilding. Sallu is currently the Programme Director for the Wave Alliance, which is a coalition of youth-led and community-based organisations that have successfully introduced evidence-based Surf Therapy programs to young people in communities, with a focus on mental health, peace building and sustainable development. Sallu is currently the focal point and face of Africa’s Faces Social media platform which is a global Social media platform that brings together people from across the world to share their moments, connect, share videos, and interact with friends giving more preference to excluded continents like Africa. Sallu Kamuskay has devoted his time to working for or contributing to a number of national and international organizations and companies, including the Techfrica Technology Company, United Nations, ECOWAS, European Union, Commonwealth Africa Initiatives. This work has led him to travel to a number of countries to contribute to global youth platforms. Sallu is the lead Coordinator for Peace Tour programme, an initiative supported by the European Union, Africa Union, ECOWAS focusing on uniting and empowering young people and local communities. Over the years, Sallu Kamuskay has been using his Techno phone to be able to tell stories, the phone he used to tell the story of Gbessay during Ebola who was admitted at one of the Ebola treatment centers after rumors that she had Ebola when the actual sickness was ulcer, she was almost abandoned at the treatment canter with no medication provided to her. She could have died. Sallu told the story via social media and was able to secure funding from the United Sierra Leone to buy her medication and advocated for her. She was later discharged and taken home, He did the same to a patient that died and was abandoned in the street, Sallu Kamuskay used his phone and shared the message across, the corps was later taken and buried. It could have been more disaster without his voice. The story of late America Stress 3-year-old daughter. The hero’s daughter was abandon after his father's death. He shared her sad story and was able to get a sister who has taken the child as her own and is currently providing her with educational support. The article of America Stress can be read on the link below http://ayvnewspaper.com/index.php/k2-categories/item/7350-america-stress-a-hero-to-recognize. Sallu Kamuskay feels the stories of Gbessay, America stress and that of many others need to be told. The media house we have cannot better tell these stories, they are better reporters than telling human interest stories. He created the Salone Messenger platform and brought together passionate storytellers to be able to tell these compelling stories.