By Esther Wright
On Wednesday, 29 January 2020 five National Youth Corps volunteers assigned to the Legal Aid Board by the National Youth Commission as part of the Graduate Internship Programme took leave of the Executive Director of the Board, Ms. Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles for their duty stations in Legal Aid Board offices in Makeni, Bo, Kenema after spending two weeks in the head office in Freetown understudying staff.
Ms. Carlton-Hanciles told the volunteers that their job will not be an easy one because they will be serving the poorest and most vulnerable people who will be knocking on their doors all the time with their justice problems.
She urged them to ensure that these people have access to justice. Moreover, they should ensure they are not taken advantage of.
“There is a lot of work for you at Police Stations, Correctional Centers, Local Courts and Informal Courts around the country,” she said. “More importantly, you have a lot of educating to do in communities to help people know and assert their rights while accessing justice.”
She noted that passion and selflessness are key to work at the Board. “You will soon realize you have no place at the Board if you do not possess these qualities,” she said. “This brings with it a deep sense of satisfaction and fulfilment at seeing the difference you’re making in the lives of people.”
She warned that there is no room for corruption and business as usual at the Board. “The worst thing you can do is to compound their problems by taking money from them for which we will weed you out,” she warned.
