With funds from Actionaid UK, Actionaid SL in its continued strides to support the marginalized especially girls in deprived and neglected communities in different parts of the country under the project name: “Action to Empower Marginalized Girls” (AEMAG), on Tuesday March 28th 2023 provided start-up kits and learning materials to adolescent girls (out of school and in school) in Western Area at a symbolic ceremony held at the Sir Alfred Jones Hall, Government Technical Institute, Kissy Dockyard in Freetown.

Students from Tailoring, hair dressing, catering departments received start-up kits and those attending normal school classes received learning materials and dignity kits including sanitary pads for the adolescents.

Actionaid is operating in seven districts and seventeen communities in the country and the latest programme is a continuation of   same that took place in Bo recently, according to the Actionaid’s Country Director Mr. Foday Bassie Swarray. The event attracted its implementing partners including Women In Crisis Movement (WICM-SL) and Tree of Life Skills Training Center.

The programme, according to the Country Director, has one main objective which encompasses girls to have access to quality education, acquire skills and provide them with social justice. “We’re doing this in line with government’s pronouncement that girls, no matter their position or condition should have equal access to quality education,” Mr. Swarray insists.

“Girl Pekin for betteh,” he reiterated severally.

He said the NGO has invested hugely in Sierra Leone towards education, water and sanitation among others. He said they have built sixteen schools in Freetown alone in different communities and that they even want to do more but held by lack of lands.

The Country Director said they’re making these sacrifices to promote and protect the girls who, he said, are facing mounting challenges/barriers in their respective communities including but not limited to early child marriage.

As words of caution to both beneficiaries and their parents, Mr. Swarray admonished the former to defy all the odds and take their work seriously in order to become independent/self-reliant. To the latter- parents, community leaders and other stakeholders, he insisted that they do everything possible to make their respective communities safe for girls, given that Actionaid and its implementing partners have done so much in that regard.

In conclusion he disclosed that (NLe583,960) about (OLe583,960,000M) was used to provide those items.

Executive Director for one of the implementing organizations Women In Crisis, Rev. Mrs. Juliana Konteh said Sierra Leonean women have continued to suffer, but thank God for the vision He gave her to help them. “We want to see Sierra Leonean children to ‘leave the back and come to the front’ because we want everyone to be happy together.

She commended Actionaid for its relentless support it has continued to give to these marginalized children over long period of time.

She disclosed that the NGO has built many schools, water wells among others and called on government to collaborate with Actionaid to help deprived communities. “Nothing can bring joy without putting smiles on the faces of these deprived children,” she added and called on the beneficiaries to make more effort to be educated.

She encouraged the parents not to sell the items using hardship as an excuse and prayed that ‘Salone will develop so that nobody will look low upon her.’

Like her counterpart, Rev. Mrs. Sylvia Cole Proprietor for Tree of Life skills training center another implementing agency that caters for young girls in difficulties also praised Actionaid for its support. She said through that support most of the children that have gone through her center have been transformed and now have wonderful testimonies to tell. She said they want to make sure the AEMAG project becomes a success story. She appreciated Actionaid for the gesture and look forward for continued working relationship.

Earlier, a stakeholder from one of the beneficiary communities, Pa Sidikie Sesay from Kolo Tree appreciated the effort of Actionad for the good work it’s doing to take care of the marginalized girls insisting someone depends on others for supports.

He thanked the Country Director for the continued support and called on the beneficiaries to put energies into their work for them to succeed in life.

“To empower is to give strength and hope to those who think everything is lost in life,” he concluded.

Testimonies and expression of gratitude from the beneficiaries and symbolic distribution of the items formed part of the ceremony.