By Ragan M. Conteh

“We are here today as a community overwhelmed with joy.”

“ActionAid Sierra Leone has aided our deprived community especially Kamakoni village with their humanitarian gestures,” said a speaker at the occasion.

He continued that the worthy action had also resulted to unending celebrations at Sella Limba Chiefdom.

This happened on Thursday 23rd May 2024 during the symbolic handing over ceremony of the newly constructed KDEC Primary School at Kamakoni village, Sella Limba Chiefdom in Karene District, north of Sierra Leone.

The remarkable handing over ceremony attracted stakeholders from different spheres of life including the deputy Minister of Education, Emily Kadiatu Gogra, councils and chiefs representatives from different villages in the country.

Delivering his message on behalf of the ActionAid Sierra Leone, the Executive Director of ActionAid Sierra Leone, Foday-Bassie Swaray said he felt honoured to receive the support from the community and government for the completion of the school building project.

Director Swaray revealed that the building project cost over NLe 700,000.

He said because government prioritizes human capital development and education, ActionAid stands forward towards complementing government’s drive.

Mr Swaray said ActionAid had completed the structure but qualified teachers are needed to serve as drivers in promoting government’s quality education.

He said among many other interventions, ActionAid has done tremendous work in Bombali district as well.

He spoke about the other schools that ActionAid has completed as well as supporting enrollment of about 10 teachers who are currently pursuing distance education within the Bombali district.

Director Swaray alluded to the fact that on the area of education intervention, ActionAid has similarly distributed a number of startup kits to at least 2,909 students who had previously become dropped outs over the years.

He said they have enrolled them into the schools system.

The Executive Director said the structure is catering for over three hundred students in and around the community.

He pleaded to parents and stakeholders in Kamakoni village and the chiefdom to protect the investment, the school building.

Giving the purpose of the school building, the Head of Programmes and Policy, Mohamed Abdulai Fofanah said from 2019 to 2020, stakeholders from the community went to ActionAid office and pleaded for a school building to be built for them.

He said the organization took note of their plea and put resources together for an action and which has translated into school building construction.

The Paramount Chief of Sella Limba Chiefdom PC Balaba Bangura in his statement thanked the people of Kamakoni village for their efforts of advocacy to ActionAid for the school support.

PC Bangura lavished heavy praises to ActionAid-SL for making Sella Limba chiefdom proud and stand out among other chiefdoms in that part of that country.

On behalf of his Chiefdom, he extended profound thanks to ActionAid-SL for their unflinching support.

The PC assured the sponsors and partners of using the schools for the purposes for which it was constructed.

Delivering her keynote statement, the deputy Minister of Education, Emily Kadiatu Gogra thanked ActionAid for their unflinching support given to the deprived communities.

She said the school is part of President Julius Maada Bio’s fulfillment of his education flagship project.

She maintained that the school was constructed only for the purpose of education and admonished the community to handle the building with great care.

Minister Gogra admonished the pupils to study and take care of the building as well as work towards achieving their academic pursuits.

“This is the time to embrace development. ActionAid Sierra Leone always works with the priorities of government,” she said.

Representatives from Karene District Council, MBSSE, TSC and Director of MoPED expressed thanks and appreciation to ActionAid for delivering and giving their kind help to the people of Sella Limba.

They said ActionAid Sierra Leone adheres full to government standards set in constructing schools.

They also assured ActionAid that they would take good care of the school.

ActionAid provided materials support including bags, books, uniforms and other materials.

The Head Teacher and the Chairlady of Kamakoni village expressed their satisfaction for the timely intervention of ActionAid in their community.

They both described ActionAid as a “trailblazer” in terms of development and they asked for more help to be provided in their community.