By Jonathan Hindolo Kurabu Esq.
Bo Stakeholders, relatives and friends of Henrietta Sowo Bassie and Dr. Iddrissa Bassie have graced the formal commissioning of the Junior’s Place of Hope (JPOH), a home for children suffering from autism.
Chief Executive Officer and Founder of JPOH, Henrietta Sowo Bassie said the Junior’s Place of Hope is in honour of her 33 year old autistic son, Idrissa Bassie Jr whom she gave birth to in the United States of America. She grieved that upon her return to Sierra Leone some years ago, she saw children who suffered similar fate like her son and who were in diverse forms stigmatized and humiliated by their parents and society. This among many others, she went on, inspired her in conjunction with her husband to open the Junior’s Place of Hope at Sowo Bassie Street after the CKC Cemetery in Bo in 2018.
With a present enrollment of 56 children, JPOH, she avowed, caters for children with all types of intellectual disabilities and also provides academic and recreational facilities coupled with vocational skills programs for children who deserve same and appealed to all for more donor support for sustainability sake.
Mayor, Bo City Council and Chairman, Bo District Council both lauded the initiative for children with special needs and pledged their respective Council’s support.
Guest Speaker, who also doubled as the Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Hon. Mamusu Massaquoi described the initiative as a historic milestone which bodes well with their Ministry’s Radical inclusion and averred support for additional support into the Government subsidy list and school feeding project.
Cash, food and non food support by Rev. Shodankeh Johnson, QUROSA, relatives, friends, Parents, Non Governmental Organizations among others, climaxed the ceremony.
Research has shown that Autism is a neurological disorder that affects a lot of people.
There are a lot of theories about the causes of autism, but nothing has been definitively proven. Some of the possible causes that have been studied include genetic factors, environmental factors, and prenatal or perinatal factors. The symptoms can vary a lot from person to person. But there are some common symptoms that are often seen in people with autism, like problems with social interaction and communication, repetitive behaviors, and sensory sensitivities.
A common symptom of autism is difficulties with social interaction and communication. This can manifest in a lot of different ways like difficulty making eye contact, understanding social cues, or taking turns in conversations. They may also have trouble understanding body language, facial expressions, or tone of voice. And they may not understand how to use verbal and nonverbal communication in a typical way.
Autism is a global problem, and it affects people in every country. The prevalence of autism varies from country to country, but according to the World Health Organization, it’s estimated that 1-2% of the global population has autism. And the number is growing as more people are diagnosed and awareness increases. There are a lot of different therapies that can help people with autism improve their social interaction and communication skills. One of the most common therapies is called Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which uses positive reinforcement to help people learn new skills and behaviors. Other therapies include speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and social skills training.
