Local Actions project utilises SR4S methodology

The project “Waka Fine To School” looks to integrate the Safe System Approach to provide safer routes to school for students thus resulting in a reduction of injuries and fatalities in the area which is predominantly used by students.

The project makes use of the Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) Methodology, an evidence-based programme of tools developed by the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) that trains youth leaders and supports them in measuring, managing, and communicating the risk children are exposed to on a journey to school through the assessment of roads.

With this tool, project lead Tevoh Ndingwan and his team from Open Dreams went to different school zones to assess the roads the students took to get to and from school. The data they gathered will be used to suggest road improvements to be implemented in Yaoundé school zones in coordination with local authorities and communities.

The team also invited other young leaders to participate in the assessment, providing them with training sessions that included online iRAP courses and on-site activities with practical work on assessing school entrance safety. The activity ran for four days.

The project also sought to educate school children from three different schools in Yaoundé about safety education regarding road risks and safety behaviour. During the assessments on the roads, members of the Local Actions team would also present road safety flyers to students and other road users to give them information on road traffic signs, road user behavior, and road safety infrastructure.