World Hope International Selects Sierra Leone’s Kanu for Global Water Role
The promotion moves Saidu Kanu from Sierra Leone country director to global ambassador and advisor.
WASHINGTON, March 13, 2024/WORLD HOPE INTERNATIONAL /World Hope International (WHI) recently promoted Saidu Kanu of Sierra Leone to global ambassador and advisor, the nonprofit humanitarian organization announced. He is based in the U.S.
The announcement’s timing — the week of World Water Day, Friday, March 22 — is significant. The UN-led day is celebrated annually to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater and to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater sources. This year’s theme, “Water for Peace,” focuses on water’s critical role in achieving world stability and prosperity. Some 2.2 billion people lack safe drinking water.
“On World Water Day, people around the world need to be talking about World Hope International’s solution to give 1 million people in West Africa access to clean water in the next five years,” said John Clause, president and CEO of World Hope International. “Saidu Kanu, in his new role, will lead this WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) campaign that will save lives in the world’s most vulnerable communities.”
In addition to WASH plans in West Africa, Kanu will be responsible for developing and implementing global fundraising and awareness strategies that support World Hope International’s sustainable clean water initiatives in other parts of the world, including Cambodia.
“Worldwide, 1 in 3 people do not have access to safe drinking water,” Kanu said.
On World Water Day, people around the world need to be talking about World Hope International’s solution to give 1 million people in West Africa access to clean water in the next five years. Saidu Kanu, in his new role, will lead this WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) campaign that will save lives in the world’s most vulnerable communities.
He called the situation in West Africa “dire.” Kanu has served World Hope International in Sierra Leone since 1999, including five years as deputy country director and 19 years as country director. In November 2023, World Hope and its partners celebrated the drilling of more than 1,000 sustainable wells in Sierra Leone and Liberia since 2005. The new plan will double the number of wells in Sierra Leone in a shorter time with the recent arrival of a new Mercedes PAT-Drill rig.
“From my many years of work in the water sector, I am looking forward to leading the campaign that will bring clean water to 1 million people in West Africa in five years,” Kanu said. “I can’t wait to see this campaign take off.”
Kanu has a bachelor’s degree from Fourah Bay College at the University of Sierra Leone in Freetown. He may be reached at saidu.kanu@worldhope.org.