By Foday Moriba Conteh
As part of their efforts towards enhancing humanitarian aid support to vulnerable people of the April, 2023 Susan’s Bay Fire Disaster affected persons in the country, Caritas Freetown, with support from the German Doctors has on Thursday 22nd June, 2023 supported 100 Susan’s Bay Fire Disaster affected persons drawn from 100 families with assorted food items.
Each of the beneficiaries received 1 bag of rice (50kg),1 bag of garri (25kg), 1 gallon of oil, 1 gallon of palm oil, onions, maggi etc. The handing over ceremony was done at Caritas Freetown Office situated at St. Edwards School, Kingtom in Freetown.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Program Manager, Caritas Freetown, Ishmael Alfred Charles, said the donation is part of their project aimed at providing humanitarian aid to vulnerable families who were victims of the Susan’s Bay Fire Disaster.
He said the German Doctors is a humanitarian aid organization that operates in the Global South, especially in slums and rural areas, adding that through the support of the German Doctors they are giving the humanitarian aid distribution to the selected vulnerable families.
Ishmael Alfred Charles maintained that the support came at a crucial time as the elections are around the corner, and vulnerable populations such as the aged, poor pregnant women, and lactating mothers are struggling to survive daily.
He pointed out that the selection criteria for beneficiaries were based on their household income and eating style and the majority of the selected beneficiaries mostly ate on the 101 formula or 001, showing their level of vulnerability.
On his part, the Executive Director of Caritas Freetown, Rev. Fr. Peter Konteh, said the humanitarian Aid was a successful project that provided much-needed support to vulnerable families and that the project was made possible through the support of German Doctors for Developing Countries with the sole aim to improve the lives of vulnerable people of which he noted that the project had a significant impact on the lives of the beneficiaries and helped to alleviate their suffering.
He concluded by commending the German Doctors for supporting Caritas Freetown in order to undertake the humanitarian aid support to vulnerable people of Susan’s Bay Fire Disaster affected persons.
One of beneficiaries, Emma Bangura, expressed appreciation to Caritas Freetown and the German Doctors for supporting them with the assorted food items which she described as very important to them especially at this difficult moment in the country.
She said that since the Fire Disaster affected them Caritas Freetown and partners have been supporting them in order to help alleviate their suffering as affected persons.
Emma Bangura said that the donated food items will help them greatly but said one of their biggest challenge is shelter, adding that since the Fire Disaster they have been challenged in constructing back their houses of which she called on humanitarian organizations to come to their aid in that regard.
