Samuel Kallon 
By Ragan M. Conteh
One of the sons of Patifu Mayawa village, in Yele Chiefdom formally Gbonkolenken chiefdom in tonkolili district, Andrew Yamba Coneh has provided over 200 solar lights in his community.
Andrew Conteh is currently living in the United States of America and he has been very instrumental in salvaging the plights of his people.
Andrew Conteh’s generosity was felt on Sunday 19th May 2024 where he donated over 200 solar lights to 34 villages within Mayawa section and beyond.
The distribution ceremony took place at Mayawa community centre.
The solar lights were distributed according to the size of the villages.
The community has been for ages without accessing electricity supply and the people in that communities have been in perpetual darkness with no hope of someone or government to redeem them from such a dire situation.
The Paramount Chief of Yele Chiefdom, Bai Komp Kanason II, was in attendance with a host of the Town Chiefs from 30 of the beneficiary villages who witnessed the handing over ceremony of the solar lights.
Addressing a mammoth crowd of community dwellers and stakeholders, the benefactor or supporter Andrew Yamba Conteh informed the community that the solar lights donation is part of his dream to remove his people from the old age and perennial darkness.
He maintained that his people have been suffering from accessing electricity supply for many years and it is time for him to give the little he has to salvage his people from such situation.
“I donated these solar lights panels to you not just for decoration but to help our younger generation to have access to light and study at night. Education is key to success and it is time for our young brothers and sisters to engage in meaningful educational activities for their sustainable development in the future,” he stated.
He underscored the need for the community to embrace the project and admonished parents to urge their children to study and make good use of the gesture.
“This time I encourage us all to be proactive and stay in peace and tranquility and as well embrace development for the future of our community and country,” Andrew Conteh stated.
He said he was one among those that suffered serious darkness during their days in school in the community and they never thought their dreams will come true someday because in those days they used wood-fire as local lights to be able to study at night.
He further admonished the community and youths to use the light judiciously and for its intended purposes.
The Paramount Chief of Yele Cheifdom, PC Bai Komp Kanason II, expressed his deepest appreciation to Andrew Y. Conteh whom he described as the saviour of his jurisdiction.
He said as Paramount Chief and a custodian of the land it was a blessing as it has never happened in his community in the past.
“I am dumb-founded when I received an invitation from Andrew Conteh for such huge donation. This is one of the biggest donations I have witnessed in my community. I have no regret of saying that Andrew Y Conteh is a blessing to my Chiefdom. In fact, before this time I have had about Andrew Conteh helping his people on education, infrastructure and on economic issues with the aim to remove his people from the abject poverty,” PC Kanason stated.
The PC urged the beneficiaries to use the solar system for the purposes for which it was donated and not for personal aggrandizement.
“As PC, I am very much impressive and I also appealed to Andrew Y Conteh to turn his heart to help more villages to help remove my people from old age darkness,” PC pleaded.
In his statement, a beneficiary who doubles as the two Chief of Patifu Mayawa village, Brima Kanu heaped praises on Andrew Conteh and his family for their generosity.
He said his people are overwhelmed with joy for delivering them from darkness to light.
“This has never happened since I was born in the late 70s. Since I born the light I enjoyed in my village is the moon only from God. I never get access to such opportunity in my life.”
“Today, my village is enjoying solar lights and this will give an opportunity to my village people especially our students to study and enjoy the beauty of light,” the town chief said.
The Women’s leader of Patifu Mayawa village, Ya Mamusu Conteh said their communities are one of the vulnerable in the country because they never have access to such opportunity given to them by their son Andrew Y Conteh.
She said this is the time to liberate their community through Andrew Conteh and it is evident at night where everywhere is light.
Ya Mamusu pointed out that the solar lights are not donated to only enjoy its beauty but for students and community to utilize it for meaningful activities that will enhance their daily life.
She appealed to Andrew Y Conteh for more solar lights to be provided as many communities still live in miserable situation.
Other beneficiaries also expressed similar sentiments and expressed their satisfaction for the donation but also pleaded for more.
