Port Loko Men Hold Transformative Gender Talks at MASIDAMA Sessions

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.