By Abass Jalloh
The Dorothy Springer Trust (DST), an organization which focuses on transforming lives of people with disabilities through information and communication technologies, has shown gratitude to the former British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, and honorary Paramount Chief Peter Penfold, for the work he has been doing for the organization.
Yesterday 11th December at the head office of DST situated within the premises of the Freetown Cheshire Home , PC Penfold, who served as envoy from 1997 to 2000, unveiled a plaque affixed on the wall of a Hall named after him at the organization’s office as a way of thanking him.
In his statement before the unveiling, the Chief Executive Officer of DST, Dr. Abdulai Dumbuya , explained that they named the hall as PC Penfold because of the Briton’s efforts in connecting the organization to many bodies. He said anyone who studies at the institution would recognize Penfold’s level of contribution to the institution.
Dr. Dumbuya revealed that as a patron, Penfold is one of the advisers giving guidance to the leadership of DST. He said practically, he has connected DST with government personalities, diplomatic missions, and even his church in the UK.
He said DST is also a registered organization in the UK in honour of a British woman called Dorothy Springer who sponsored his education in the UK for many years and helped him to later stay and work in the UK.
He said: “In 2003, the woman died. And I found out that at that time she was doing all this sponsorship in secret. So it was after her death her daughter, who is now an 80-year-old, told me that it was her mother who was sponsoring me. So it was as a result of her passing I realized on a visit to Sierra Leone in 2005, how my colleague disabled persons were living in the streets. I then realized that if it were not this woman who helped me this way, I would also be in Sierra Leone begging.”
He said Madam Springer changed his life and helped him acquire many qualifications, which prompted him to give something back by setting up the organisation and naming it after her.
In his keynote address, PC Penfold said what inspired him to seek the best for persons with disabilities was when he associated with the school of blind at Milton Margai.
“The best way to help people living with disabilities is to help them get good, meaningful job. If they have their own job, they can live their life with pride and respect. They can have their families and children and live their normal life,” Penfold stated.
“So when back in those days Dr. Dumbuya approached me and asked me if I would become patron of this new organization [DST], I readily accepted the invitation to do so; from 2007 I became the patron of Dorothy Springer Trust, and we immediately started to train people with all disabilities,” he recalled.
He said Sierra Leone needs a lot of leaders to help inspire, he added, urging everyone to “work and carry on” and that especially the children at the Freetown Cheshire Home and others need inspiration to continue with their impactful lives and keeping in mind that everything is possible.
In the words of Abu Kamara, a past student of the Freetown Cheshire Home, since the day they were admitted to go through the ICT course, Dr. Dumbuya “took his time to interview each and every one of us. “It takes love and passion to have such a person’’.
On behalf of his colleague past students, he expressed “sincere thanks and appreciation” to the CEO of DST and the organization in general for having disabled persons at heart.
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