On Saturday, June 7th, 2025, alongside several councillors and FCC Disaster Management staff, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr presented a donation to members of the United Polio Brothers and Sisters Association, Shell New Road, who were badly affected by a fire disaster. Their damaged facility which serves as a residence, a welding shop and a skills training centre, was almost completely destroyed by a fire, reportedly caused by an erratic EDSA power surge. Thirty households, including 26 children, were impacted.

The donation comprised 30 bags of rice, 3 bales of used clothes, 30 foam mattresses, 30 school bags, and a carton of exercise books, pens, and pencils. FCC had earlier set up a tent to provide temporary shelter for community members.

While Freetown City Council’s support cannot erase the pain and loss suffered, it is an immediate intervention to help address the urgent needs of the households who lost everything in the fire.

The United Polio Brothers and Sisters Association is a community of persons with disabilities that is proudly independent. The community members make a living by working in their welding shop, repairing electronics and making gara products. They also provide skills training to able bodied people. Freetown City Council is committed to assisting the community to gradually rebuild their facility and replace their tools.