By Mohamed Foday Conteh
Catholic Relief Services CRS Country Representative, Paul Emes has announced a 25 million US Dollar grant secured by the government of Sierra Leone to support the school feeding programme in the country.
Country Representative for CRS made the announcement during a media interface session held by the organisation on the 28th September 2021 at the Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel in Aberdeen, Freetown.
Emes said the grant was issued by the US Department for Education and the McGovern-Dole school feeding programme. He said that the grant is for the ‘All pikin for learn’ programme that was launched by President Julius Maada Bio in November 2018 in Kabala, Koinadugu district.
He added that emphasis of this second phase is not only going to focus on school feeding but also to use locally produced food for the programme. He noted that CRS was excited about the transition from importing food from the US to using locally produced food.
Emes added that the school feeding programme is in line with the government’s free quality education programme.
He stated CRS is also in partnership with the United Nation’s World Food Programme WFP, Caritas and Plan International in order to expand the school feeding programme from Falaba and Koinadugu districts to other parts of the country.
He noted that they were in communication with Save the Children and World Vision about the programme. He affirmed that they intend to talk with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and WFP.
He added that CRS is in partnership with other organisations because they cannot do everything. He affirmed that the aim is to set up a partnership with the government, the UN and donor partners. He said the coronavirus hindered the progress of the programme but that they are back on track.
Education is the CRS’ number 2 priority in their Sierra Leone Country Programme Strategy that is being implemented from 2020-2030.
The organisation aims to ensure that all children reach their full health and development potentials in safe and nurturing families by 2030. They also intend to see that government has the required capacity to formulate and implement policies and monitor cross-sector policies. The CRS also aims to improve community advocacy in order to increase awareness of the importance of education, particularly for girls.
Emes, at the ceremony also stressed the importance of partnership especially with the media in Sierra Leone. He spoke about CRS’ presence in Sierra Leone in 1963, two years after the country gained independence. He disclosed that his organisation is operating in 100 countries, assisting in areas of health, emergencies, water, education, agriculture, microfinance, peace building and capacity strengthening.
The country rep also affirmed that although the CRS is a catholic organisation, their operations serve people purely based on needs regardless of belief, ethnicity or race.
Presenting the CRS Sierra Leone Strategic Plan Glynnis Cummings-John, Head of Programme CRS said the plan aims to enhance agriculture and livelihoods, improving access to quality education, improving access to quality healthcare and increasing urban resilience by 2024.
In his statement, the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Ahmed Sahid Nasralla commended CRS for recognising the important role of the press. He assured the CRS of the continued support of the press to CRS operations in Sierra Loene.
Copyright © Politico Online (05/10/21)
