By Foday Moriba Conteh
In their quest to support the less privileged in society, especially the Aged, Dorwontony Organization for the Aged (DOFA), a charitable and non-Governmental Organization that advocates for the needs and rights of the aged, on Saturday 28th November, 2020, fed the Aged at the Kroo Bay Community during a ceremony that was held at the Kroo bay community center in Freetown.
Speaking during the event, Founder of Dorwontony Organization for the Aged, Dorren Barrie, stated that the organization was founded in order to serve as the voice for the needs and rights of the aged across the country, adding that old people should not be considered as liability to society, but rather that they should be given the care they deserve, because they are the backbone of any peaceful society.
CEO Barrie furthered that the Organization has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board, where the Legal Aid Board will provide free legal support for the Aged, stating that in most cases, these old people do suffer injustices in the country, but with this partnership, it will ensure that these old people get justice.
She called on the Government, private sector and non-governmental organizations to support them in order to secure a Home for these vulnerable people, adding that they are very important people in society and should not be neglected.
Samuel Ben Turay, Outreach Officer, Legal Aid Board, assured DOFA of LAB’s support towards giving justice to the Aged, adding that the MOU is geared towards ensuring older people have unhindered access to legal aid services provided by the Board, which will enhance their access to justice, which, he furthered, will entail DOFA channeling all legal aid needs and challenges of the aged to the Board.
He stated that the Legal Aid Board of Sierra Leone was established with the responsibility to provide free legal aid services for the poor, including legal representation, advise, assistance, legal and community based outreach, alternative dispute resolution etc. He said they are currently in the 14 Districts across the country, giving justice to the people.
Councilor of Ward 431 in Constituency 125, Murray Allie Conteh, also expressed appreciation to DOFA for the gesture, adding that as a Councilor, he is very proud to see such move by DOFA, maintaining that there are lots of challenges faced by the people of Kroo Bay, especially the Aged. He also disclosed that during the rainy season, when it floods, these old people suffer the most in the community.
Isatu Kamara, a beneficiary, expressed gratitude to Dorwontony Organization for the Aged for the gesture, which she described as not only important to them, but a timely intervention, noting that this is the first time they are experiencing such care and love from an organization in the Kroo Bay community.
She called on other organizations to follow the footprint of the Dorwontony Organization in supporting the aged with food and other basic necessities, with the thought that they too are very important in society.
