By Nasratu Kargbo
Despite Action–Aid Sierra Leone’s success stories of returning dropout girls to schools and empowering others with skills training, the institution’s Executive Director Foday Bassie Swaray says there more adolescent girls that desperately need support.
Speaking to Journalists on the 29th September 2023 after an engagement with women in Baoma Chiefdom in Bo District, Swaray stated “We are hopeful and we are praying that we are able to get another extension so that we can support many more girls that need such support”.
Swaray explained that hey alone cannot address the situation, noting that they are looking forward to working with partners such as the government, NGOs amongst others.
He said that a year ago they started a project titled ‘Action to empower marginalized adolescent girls’, explaining that they helped girls go back to school and that some of them have transitioned from primary to secondary school. He added that others were empowered with skills training and given sewing machines.
Highlighting others strides aside adolescent girls, he mentioned providing women with financial support, and enhancing access to finance through their village savings and loan programme. He noted that the women have also used those spaces to discuss their economic, social and political empowerment for women.
Swaray explained that as a way deepening accountability to their stakeholders, they decided that aside the reports produced on quarterly basis, they need to take the board and other stakeholders to the communities in order for them to see the interventions they’ve made as an institution and also hear some of the challenges the community people continue to face. “This visit is part of our own commitment to deepen our own accountability to our multiple stakeholders we work with at ActionAid”.
When asked whether they intend to extend the project as some of the beneficiaries requested, the Director said they have a long term programme with the two communities and that they will try to raise funds in a bid to address the other challenges highlighted by members of the community.
Some girls from Jerehun and Baoma Chiefdoms in the Bo District spoke to the Journalists and expressed appreciation over the help they have received from Action-Aid, and even admitted they could have been dropouts but with the support rendered, they are back in school whilst or given skills training.
Sharing her testimony during the institution’s impact access engagement, Wuyata Smart a long distance athlete said that her parents were unable to sponsor her education, explaining that she was brought back to school after two years of being a dropout.
She added that she now goes to school very tidy having been given soaps, towel, and sanitary pads amongst other things in order for them to stay clean.
One of the beneficiaries from Sunday Foundation Skills Training Centre Fatmata Tavegutu said she stopped going to school for more than five years, and didn’t relish a return, opting instead to venture into tailoring opportunity presented by ActionAid.
Tavegutu who is the oldest students at the centre now earns money from her craft. She noted that she sometimes stay home to sew with the machine giver to her by the institution.
The mother requested that the institution continues to aid their training, noting that she has a lot more to learn.
Secretary of the Mother’s Club Baindu Jabati expressed delight for the support rendered to their girls,some of whom have children. She said some have no one to help take care of their children whilst they go to acquire skills, but stated that the mother’s club is charged with the responsibility to take care of the children whilst their mothers are at the training centre.
She added that they have been ensuring that the girls go to the centre to learn, citing that they go through the registers to know whether the girls made it to the centre or not. Jabati called on the institution to continue the support, noting that there are many girls that need such support.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (02/10/23)
