By Amin Kef Sesay
The First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Mrs. Fatima Maada Bio has commended Africell for supporting the cause of combating and raising awareness on the negative effects of gender and sexual related offenses including rape, teenage pregnancy, early marriage through the “Hands Off Our Girls” Campaign since awareness campaign commenced.
In her statement during a dinner hosted by the Maada & Fatima Bio Foundation to launch the “free sanitary pads for school-going girls” at the Bintumani Conference Centre, the First Lady disclosed how Africell is the first company that willingly agreed to support the campaign and even took the bold stride to organize the first-ever Hands Off Our Girls Press Conference which, according to her, is a clear manifestation of the company’s determination to take the campaign far and wide.
The First Lady applauded the Management of Africell for going beyond her expectations by providing important items needed to launch the campaign nationwide. “Africell is indeed a force to reckon with,” she showed appreciation.
A Certificate of Appreciation was awarded to the Management of Africell and she declared the company as a ‘Champion’ of the Hands Off Our Girls Campaign.
Other entities like AYV, the Sierra Leone Police Force, the Military, the Chinese Embassy, the Ministry of Social Welfare and UNFPA were also recognized for their unwavering support to the campaign.
The President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, was also crowned as the ‘Godfather of the Hands Off Our Girls’ Campaign.
