Post a comment 
Men across Port Loko are taking part in transformative conversations aimed at promoting gender equality and building healthier relationships between men and women through the ongoing MASIDAMA sessions under the Promotion of Women’s Employment and Resources (POWER) Project, funded by Irish Aid through Trocaire.
Using the Male MASIDAMA Manual, participants engaged in a thought-provoking session titled “Understanding Power”, which examined how power is experienced, distributed, and sometimes misused within communities. Another session, “Thinking Outside the Box”, encouraged men to reflect on the true meaning of power beyond traditional norms.
The highlight of the sessions was the interactive “New Planet Exercise”, which allowed participants to role-play scenarios of both possessing and being deprived of power. Through this activity, they explored four fundamental rights: the right to physical safety, respect, decision-making, and control over sexuality.
Participants who experienced losing their rights expressed feelings of vulnerability, helplessness, and exclusion, while those given more power described feelings of importance, authority, and control. These reflections helped men draw connections between the exercise and real-life situations in their communities, particularly the unequal power dynamics that often exist between men and women.
Through MASIDAMA, men are being encouraged to critically examine harmful social norms, understand the impact of unequal power relations, and become champions for positive change. The POWER Project continues to create safe spaces where men and communities can reflect, learn, and take action towards building a society where women and men enjoy equal rights, respect, and opportunities.
