By Foday Moriba Conteh
As part of their objectives to undertake humanitarian and developmental projects and activities, specifically targeting the underprivileged, vulnerable and marginalized group, particularly women and children in the country, Grassroots Action for National Development Sierra Leone (GRAND-SL), a non-governmental organization, has on Wednesday 28th July, 2021 donated food and non-food items which includes 20 bags of rice, 20 bags of Onion, 20 gallons of cooking oil, 50 packets of Maggi, sleeping blankets etc. worth millions of Leones to 150 Susan’s Bay fire victims. The donation took place at the Susan’s Bay community in Freetown.
In his statement, Acting National Coordinator of Grassroots Action for National Development (GRAND), Alie Tarawallie, disclosed that the Grassroots Action for National Development (GRAND) is a non-governmental organization with one of its objectives to undertake humanitarian and developmental projects and activities, specifically targeting the underprivileged, vulnerable and marginalized group particularly women and children in the country, adding that it against such a backdrop they thought it fit to undertake such a donation at the Susan’s Bay.
He added that such a move by the organization has been part of their normal practice especially during emergencies in the country, stating that during the Kaningo flash flood and the mudslide at Regent the organization also rendered such a gesture to the affected people.
Alie Tarawallie pointed out that during the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, Grand-SL also undertook series of sensitization drives in order to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the country which was also followed by some humanitarian gestures in order to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 on vulnerable groups in the country.
He said Susan’s Bay is one of the poorest slum communities in the capital of Freetown and that it was overcomed by a massive blaze of fire on Wednesday 24th March 2021 evening, destroying properties and leaving thousands of people deprived maintaining that as a responsible organization they thought it fit to make the donation on behalf of the general membership and they are doing so with the strong belief that such could be helpful especially at this moment when we are in the raining season.
The Coordinator pointed out that despite the fact that over 1,000 households were affected ,however, due to limited funds the organization decided to only target 150 most vulnerable victims of which he admonished beneficiaries to make good use of the donated items in order to support themselves and their families.
Pa Yusuf Conteh, one of the beneficiaries, applauded the Grassroots Action for National Development Sierra Leone (GRAND-SL) for considering them at this crucial moment in their lives, adding that the fire disaster destroyed all what they had leaving them with nothing.
He called on other organizations to follow the organization’s footprint as residents of Susan’s Bay, especially the Aged, are in dire need of food and non-food items support considering the damages the fire disaster had caused to their lives.
