By Foday Moriba Conteh
As part of their Early Childhood Development Center School Project, which happens to fall under the GSM Company’s Free Quality Education support to the Government’s Free Quality Education (FQE) Initiative, Orange Foundation Sierra Leone has on Friday 4th June, 2021 commissioned a state of art Pre-School Center at Gombahun Town, Sowa Chiefdom within the Pujehun District, Southern Sierra Leone which marks the third commissioning of State of the Art Early Childhood Development Centers in Kambia, Moyamba and now Pujehun District constructed by the company.
In his welcome statement, the Paramount of Sowa Chiefdom, Pujehun District, PC Lahai A.K Sowa 11, commended Orange Foundation Sierra Leone for choosing his chiefdom to construct an Early Childhood Development Center, further assuring that they will not only take good care of it but will ensure that they also make good use of it.
He used the opportunity to commend President Bio for the implementation of the Free Quality Education which he said was a move in the right direction.
PC Lahai A.K Sowa stated that definitely the facility will benefit their children in their quest to acquire early childhood education in that part of the county.
In her statement, the Chief Executive Officer of Orange Sierra Leone, Aminata Kane, said that the way and manner in which residents warmly welcomed them to Sowa chiefdom was an indication of their sincere gratitude expressed to them as a company that cares about the people of this country.
She revealed that through the Orange Foundation they are committed to provide support that will improve the daily lives of the people of Sierra Leone and give the much needed support that will contribute to the betterment of the nation further adding that as a caring company, they always consult Government, stakeholders and the people to identify their needs and respond accordingly.
The Orange CEO stated that during their engagements, they realized that there is a need for the construction of an Early Development Center with the firm conviction that they will enable kids in Gombahun to have access to the same quality education children in big cities have access to.
She maintained that Orange Foundation has offered them a state of the art Early Development Center that will serve as a safe facility that will enable children of Gombahun Town and its environs to access free and quality education which she said will mark the third commissioning of the company’s school building Project which purely focuses on ensuring a better and promising future for children.
She encouraged residents of that great settlement to take advantage of the golden opportunity and enrol their children into the facility, especially the girl child assuring how it will avail them a better foundation, nurture them well for the Primary School stage and help to foster their educational pursuit in general.
“To school kids who are the would-be beneficiaries, I will like to encourage you all to take advantage of this opportunity because it is only through education that you can become Ministers, Parliamentarians, doctors or even Chief Executive Officers,” she motivated them.
The Minister of Information and Communications, Mohamed Rahman Swarray, expressed warmest gratitude to Orange Foundation for the construction of the Pre-School at Gombahun Town, within the Pujehun District, which he described as very important towards the development of children in the country.
He added that with the construction of the Pre-School at Gombahun Town it will surely create positive impacts on the lives of children in that part of the country especially when the Free Quality Initiative is a priority in the New Direction Agenda underscoring how His Excellency, President Maada Bio, considers education as very important which is why he implemented the Free Quality Education.
Mohamed Rahman Swarray revealed that he is aware that Orange Foundation has constructed similar Early Childhood Centers in Kambia, Moyamba and now Pujehun District of which he said this move by the company is geared towards complementing President Bio’s Free Quality Initiative.
He admonished residents to take advantage of the facility, take responsibility it and also allow their children to attend it.
Director of Free Quality Education Initiative at the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary School, Amara Sowa, also showered praises on Orange Foundation for the commissioning of the third Early Childhood Development Centers in the country.
He outlined the Ministry’s support to the newly constructed pre-school of which he said the Ministry will provide Early Childhood Development (ECD) kits for the facility, a curriculum and text books, and training for the teachers.
Amara Sowa also encouraged residents to take ownership of the facility which he said will enhance their children to get early childhood education like any other children in the country.
A resident of Gombahun Town, Sowa Chiefdom, who also happens to be a parent, Yusuf Kamara, expressed his heartfelt appreciation to Orange Foundation for the construction of the pre-school in their village, furthering that the facility will help their children to get early childhood education like other children in other part of the country.
He also assured Orange Foundation and stakeholders that they will surely make good use of the facility as it is the first modern pre-school within Sowa Chiefdom, Pujehun District.
The event was climaxed by the official commissioning of the Early Childhood Center by the Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rahman Swarray, Orange-Sierra Leone Aminata Kane Ndiaye followed by a tour of the facility.
