By Saio Marrah
With Support from the World Bank and the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, under the Skills Development Fund (SDF), the Office of Domestic Support Service Agency (ODSSA) has awarded certificates to 50 different categories of domestic workers.
The certification ceremony was held at the Saphyre Court Multi-Purpose Hall and Recreation Centre in Freetown on Friday 2nd December, 2022.
The domestic workers include 9 cooks, 14 waiters and waitresses, 11 house keepers, 14 child caregivers, and two supervisors.
During the three months course, they were also taught time management and how to deal with sexual harassment in the workplace.
The theme of the certification ceremony was “Achieving Dignity and Purpose through Learning and Decent Work”.
Chief Executive Officer of ODSSA, Alitta Ansu Katta, said they were very committed to their training and hoped that the graduands will do well in the workplace. For the maids, she said they will be serving as professionals.
She said through SDF, they have been equipped with required knowledge and skills and that it is geared towards filling the skills gap in the country.
Katta said they won the grant after they applied for it.
According to her, the training was more of practical and that under the child caregiving category, the trainees were taught about child nutrition at different stages and conditions of the child.
The CEO said her agency will be finding customers for their certified maids and therefore urged interested customers to contact them.
She called on the domestic workers to always take their job seriously and make a living out of it, and see it like any other profession.
The Chairman of the ceremony, Joel A. Kallon, admonished them to always keep working harder to make a difference and should note that their bosses will be observing them.
The Grand Specialist of SDF at the MTHE, Salieu Barrie, expressed his appreciation for what he had observed from a Skit displayed by the certified domestic workers saying it shows the fund was indeed utilised for its rightful purpose.
He said when they give grant, the ministry will also ensure they supervise it for expected outcomes.
He said the trainers were from Njala University, Milton Margai Technical University and other technical learning institutions. He said the SDF is addressing the skills gap that has seen people from other countries take away such domestic jobs from Sierra Leoneans.
He said among the 84 institutions given the grant across the country, ODSSA’s certification was the first was the first they had attended.
Barrie pointed out that to earn the grant is highly competitive.
The Managing Director of Job Search, Edleen Elba, in her motivational speech, cautioned the certified domestic workers against backbiting in workplace and to be always loyal to their bosses.
She encouraged them not to be shy or afraid of discussing issues bothering them to their superiors.
She spoke about competence and for them to always learn to improve everyday by exploring unique things to add value to their jobs. Ms Elba stressed the importance of self-content, saving, and enjoying the job they do and to view it with dignity.
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