By Foday Moriba Conteh
As part of their continuous support to Ebola Survivors in the country, Caritas Freetown, with support from Caritas Germany, on Friday 27th November, 2020 gave out school items worth millions of Leones to children of Ebola survivors, as part of their bride project to enhance generating educational opportunities and well-being of Ebola survivors, in the western Area, Sierra Leone, which is supported by Caritas Germany and implemented by Caritas Freetown. The donation event took place at St. Anthony’s Boys Primary School at Skye Street in Freetown.
In her address, Outreach Officer Caritas Freetown, Kumba Genda, disclosed that the move by Caritas is to ensure that they give educational support to these Ebola Survivors.
Giving an overview of the project, Outreach Officer Caritas-Freetown, Patrick, said that this is part of their support to Ebola Survivors in the country, adding that this is not the first time they are giving such support to these Ebola Survivors, and that the previous project that gave birth to this current bride project, included generating educational opportunities and well-being of Ebola survivors in the western Area, Sierra Leone, which is supported by Caritas Germany and implemented by Caritas Freetown.
He furthered that these Ebola Survivors and their families can also access free health care services at different clinics for the period of 9 months, which started in April and will end in December, 2020.
He encouraged beneficiaries to make good use of the school items given to them, as this will help them to progress in life.
On his part, Program Manager, Caritas-Freetown, Ishmael Alfred Charles, expressed appreciation to Caritas for the initiative to support Ebola Survivors in the country, adding that this is not the first time Caritas has been giving such support to children, adding that over the years, Caritas has been supporting children from different schools that are Ebola Survivors and this is again seen in the continued demonstration of their solidarity with the Ebola Survivors at this crucial time in the history of the country.
He admonished pupils to take their studies seriously, underscoring how education is the key to success. “Education is a process of learning that one goes through in order to become somebody in society”.
Receiving the items, one of the beneficiaries, Alberta Jones, a Pupil of the Annie Walsh Memorial School, showered praise on Caritas for the gesture, which she described as not only important to them, but timely, adding that the organization’s support will lessen the financial burden on their parents/guardians.
She admonished her colleagues to make good use of the opportunity, saying many other children want such an opportunity, also underscoring that education is the key to success and they should take their studies serious. She stressed that with education they will achieve their dreams and become great people in society.
