SAFMI CEO Artem Volchenko Urges Dignity and Inclusion for Girls with Disabilities

The Chief Executive Officer of Save Africa From Malaria Infection (SAFMI), Artem Volchenko, has called for a society where every girl, regardless of her circumstances or disability, has access to essential hygiene products, healthcare information, and opportunities to live an independent and dignified life. Volchenko made this statement at a hygiene materials donation ceremony organised by the Women Environmental Programme Sierra Leone (WEP-SL) for female pupils of the National School for the Deaf and Milton Margai School for the Blind in Freetown.

Volchenko challenged participants to look beyond charitable donations and work towards building sustainable systems that address the needs of vulnerable groups. He described the initiative as commendable but expressed hope that such interventions would eventually become unnecessary because every girl would have access to the hygiene products, facilities, information, and support she needs without depending on charitable events. The ultimate goal, he stressed, should not simply be to organise more charitable activities but to build a society where fewer people depend on them to meet their basic needs.

Addressing three key areas of concern, Volchenko emphasised that dignity is a fundamental right, not a privilege. He noted that access to clean toilets, running water, soap, sanitary products, accurate information, and safe private facilities are essential to ensuring girls' health, dignity, and continued access to education. Volchenko questioned how society could guarantee equal educational opportunities for girls without ensuring that they could comfortably attend school throughout the month, particularly when access to essential menstrual hygiene products and facilities remained a challenge.

Volchenko also called for greater involvement of men in promoting women's health, arguing that although men do not experience menstruation themselves, they have a responsibility to help create an environment where girls and women receive understanding, respect, and practical support. On disability inclusion, the SAFMI Chief Executive Officer argued that equality should not be limited to treating everyone in exactly the same way but should involve providing the necessary support to ensure that everyone enjoys equal opportunities.

Using the experience of students with hearing, visual, and physical impairments, Volchenko explained that inclusive education and healthcare require accessible information, including Braille materials, audio resources, sign language interpretation, and properly designed hygiene facilities. He urged society to shift its focus from what persons with disabilities cannot do to identifying and removing the barriers that prevent them from participating fully in society. Volchenko further stressed that girls with disabilities should not be viewed merely as recipients of assistance but as students, future professionals, potential leaders, and individuals whose ambitions, opinions, and voices deserve recognition.

Volchenko drew from SAFMI's experience in Sierra Leone, where the organisation works to prevent malaria through biological mosquito control, using Gambusia fish that feed on mosquito larvae to help reduce mosquito populations. He disclosed that SAFMI has established a fish farm in Freetown, developed a local team, and built relationships with schools, hospitals, universities, and government institutions to advance its malaria prevention interventions. However, he noted that delivering solutions is only part of the process, explaining that sustained impact requires maintenance, training, community awareness, and clear responsibility for ensuring that interventions continue to function effectively.

In his closing remarks, Volchenko returned to his central message that dignity must be respected every day and should never depend on occasional charitable interventions. He maintained that the true success of the WEP-SL initiative would not be determined by the number of people who attended or the donations distributed, but by whether stakeholders remained committed to supporting the girls long after the event had ended. He congratulated WEP-SL on its initiative and commended the teachers, students, volunteers, and other stakeholders who contributed to making the event possible.

Key points

• SAFMI CEO Artem Volchenko emphasises the need for sustainable systems to address the needs of vulnerable groups.
• Volchenko calls for greater involvement of men in promoting women's health and disability inclusion.
• The SAFMI CEO stresses that dignity is a fundamental right, not a privilege, and should be respected every day.