By Mabinty M. Kamara
Caritas Sierra Leone, with support from its parent organization in Germany, has provided financial support as part of efforts to empower survivors of the Ebola Virus Disease(EVD) that struck the country about six years ago leaving many homes and families completely disempowered in Sierra Leone.
Georgetta Bangura is among fifty women that participated in the Caritas’s small enterprises scheme project for Ebola survivors and, according to her, the project had not only helped empower her financially as a woman, but has helped restored her lost dignity in terms of financial independence as a result of the 2014-2016 epidemic.
“Caritas has given us hope to live again. Before given us the business, we went through lots of counseling, mentorship and other supports towards prudent financial management. Before the supplies, I used to sell sachet water by bundle in my community, but when I received the startup items, I changed my line of business to the items provided to us, such as a bag of garri, two bags of coal, 5 gallons of palm oil and other items. And from that time to now, I can proudly tell you that I am owner of a small shop in my community,” she explained.
The post Ebola Economic Rehabilitation Project, according to officials of Caritas, was designed to address challenges faced by EVD survivors in their homes and in five different communities in Freetown to enhance their capacity to live in good health, wellbeing and be economically empowered in order to restore their dignity.
Ishmael Alfred Charles, project manager of Caritas Freetown, told Politico that their aim was not just to create business for the targeted group, but also to instill a savings culture in them so as to ensure sustainability in business, which is why they even gave them items instead of cash.
“This project came up after going through two phases of revenue generating activities for Ebola survivors. So we are very excited that we are able to run through with 45 survivors out of the 50 women that we started with and they did extremely well in the business and in the savings with us,” Charles explained.
“We didn’t give them cash but we gave them supplies that they should sell and continue the circle and the profits generated from those sales are saved in the bank.
Charles said that the proceeds from the business have been shared into three. The first to be spent on their personal welfare, in case of emergencies, the second to be saved at a bank, and the third portion to be saved with Caritas, which is what they were given on Friday.
Reverend Father Peter Conteh, Executive Director of Caritas Freetown, in his opening statement at the certification and awarding ceremony of the savings received from the participants noted that the charity was the first to arrive in times of crisis and the last to leave.
“Because it’s not only helping people during emergencies, it’s necessary to ensure that they get back to where they were before and move a step further. So that’s why we are still with you to see that we accompany you till the end,” Father COnteh said at the event.
“People lost their businesses, husbands and jobs; they have been stigmatized and marginalized. So how do we get them back to be safe in their societies? That was our primary concern,” he added.
“We are certifying you to show that you can be trusted with money. You can show it anywhere in case there is a loan opportunity, that we have been trusted once with money and were able to manage it well. The word survivor is not only limited to surviving sickness, but how we can survive life challenges, trials and difficulties,” the Caritsa boss said to the beneficiaries.
The EVD survivors in Sierra Leone have been faced with lots of challenges, ranging from health, welfare issues, stigmatization and other psychological challenges as a result of the viral disease.
Copyright © 2020 Politico Online
