Gender is also about men

This photo was taken by Sohrab Baghri, WASH coordinator for ACF Sierra Leone & Liberia, during a visit to a slum area in Freetown, Sierra Leone. This man was not only carrying a baby on his back, but he was also fetching water from a local well for his family. It is a rare sight to see a man breaking the cultural barriers in his society and performing tasks usually allocated to the female members of a family.

The man in question is Mohammad Turay and he is 66 years old. At the moment he is unemployed, but in the past he has worked as a plumber, electrician, carpenter and builder. He is married and the child on his back is his youngest and is one year old.

Mohammad explained that his actions demonstrate his love for his family and shows equity in terms of household responsibilities. He has been performing these tasks since he got his first child. Apart from caring for the baby and fetching water, he also occasionally prepares food for his family.

The older people in his community admire his actions and often express the wish that their daughters had such husbands. The younger people only make fun of him. Despite criticisms Mohammad continues to fulfil these tasks and tries to encourage other men, especially younger ones, to help with household chores.

Sohrab Baghri, WASH coordinator for ACF Sierra Leone & Liberia