By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)

The Sierra Leone Deaf Football Association (SLDFA) together with the Sierra Leone National Association of the Deaf (SLNAD) has expressed their deepest gratitude for the remarkable supports and unwavering commitments of a former deaf player.

The veteran is currently in the United States and he is giving his support to making sure that the Deaf Football team participants in the just concluded Deaf Football Tournament in Ivory Coast, Abidjan.

The tournament was organized by the West Africa Deaf Sports Union (WADSU) with support from ECOWAS.

Speaking to the President of the Deaf Football Association, Madam Ramatu Threasa Sesay, praises the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr.Unisa Joe Power Kamara, of the Sierra Leone Deaf Football Association (SLDFA).

She said the respectable CEO had made several contributions towards the development of deaf victims in Sierra Leone.

The Sierra Leone National Deaf Football Team was able to qualify for the finals with Mali but lost by 4-1 when it travelled to compete in  various football tournaments: 2009 in Liberia 2009, 2010 in Gambia , 2021 in Mail and 2023 in Ivory Coast (Abidjan ), she said.

She added that because of his motivation and support, the team performance was great and they had automatically qualified for Egypt 2024.

“Prior to the Deaf Football Tournament in Ivory Coast, Abidjan, we actually informed government through the Ministry of Sports, SLFA and NSA but our plea was only granted later by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation (MFAIC), no financial support for that trip was given except the assistance we received from our humble CEO, Unisa Joe Power Kamara and his wife, Madam Martha Joe Power Kamara,” Madan Ramatu Sesay noted.

In his response, the President of the Sierra Leone National Association of the Deaf (SLNAD), Pa Alhaji Rahman, said he was very excited and grateful for the significant impact and moral support showed by former Deaf Footballer, Unisa Joe Power Kamara, whom he described as ‘father for the deaf’ victims in Sierra Leone.

And he noted that Unisa Joe Power Kamara had actually being trying very hard to promote the deaf community in diverse ways through lobbying and advocacy moves.

Pa Alhaji Rahman said: Mr. Joe Power Kamara had also been instrumental to push for the teaching of sign language for deaf victims, including non-deaf victims.

In a mobile phone conversation, the former player of SLDFA, Unisa Joe Power Kamara, said he was among the squad that traveled to Liberia in 2009 and in Gambia around 2010 to represent his country.

He added that he was also an active member of the umbrella organization, SLNAD, where he was given the responsibility to teach sign language for several years.

And later he was appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SLDFA in 2020 by the President of SLNAD , Pa Alhaji Rahman, together with other team memebers because of his outstanding performance and selfless service to deaf victims across the country and beyond.

“We have participated in several international and local competitions and this current squad is superb as it maintains a second position in Abidjan in the Deaf Football tournament 2023. My remarkable achievements for the deaf football then will always remain a footprint for others to emulate,” Unisa Joe Power Kamara assured.

He commended the government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation (MFAIC), Sierra Leone, for their esteemed support.

He also praised Deaf Football Delegation for bringing home runners-up medals after traveling to Abidjan to represent the country.

Meanwhile, he encouraged past and present players, to continue the training sessions.

He called on government through the Ministry of Sports, SLFA, NSA, and the financial institutions, individual football loving fans to assist the team with financial, logistical and moral support ahead of their future tournaments in 2024.