By Foday Moriba Conteh
In respond to the requests of Susan’s Bay Fire Victims for a continuation of the hot meal feeding program, which was an emergency response effort to residents of the community, which should have ended on Friday 30th April 2021, Caritas Freetown and Tzu Chi Foundation have agreed to continue the program.
Speaking to this medium, the Executive Director of Caritas Freetown, who also happens to be a member of the Partnering to Serve Humanity consortium, Rev. Fr. Peter Konteh, noted that on Thursday 29th April, 2021 they received a high-powered delegation of over 29 individuals in their office on Savage Street, demanding to see the Management of Caritas Freetown. Unfortunately, they were out of the office, but they spoke with the other staff who were around and got himself and the Programs Manager on the phone, during which they expressed appreciation to Caritas and partners for the work they have been doing and pleaded for the continuation of the hot meal feeding program.
He added that after this appeal, Caritas Freetown reached out to its partners; fortunately they received approval of support from Tzu Chi Foundation to provide the condiments for the next 12 days till the end of Ramadan, and the rice from CRS and Missionary Friends Society.
Rev. Fr. Peter Konteh, also used the opportunity to inform all that Caritas Freetown, with support from their partners, instituted the emergency response efforts at the Susan’s Bay Community as a true compassionate support to the victims of the fire disaster, which, he said, was made possible with the huge support from Tzu Chi Foundation under the Partnering to Serve Humanity, comprising the Healey International Relief Foundation, Tzu Chi Foundation, LANYI Foundation and Caritas Freetown. He furthered that 29 days of hot meal feeding was made possible and additionally, they also got support from the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Freetown to cover 15 days of breakfast for the victims, and also received further support from the Catholic Relief Services to cover 5 days of breakfast and also 5 days of hot meals.
He expressed appreciation to all the organizations that have been supporting Caritas Freetown in making this a success.
Rev. Fr. Peter Konteh said that as an organization, they are ready to serve humanity, but said they were challenged in terms of continuing the hot feeding program, however, with the support from their partners the hot meal feeding program will continue till the end of the Ramadan.
On her part, one of the Councilors of the Susan’s Bay Community, Madinatu Kamara, also expressed gratitude to Caritas Freetown, Tzu Chi Foundation and other partners for the continuation of the hot meal feeding program.
She noted that since the implementation of the emergency response at the Susan’s Bay community, this has contributed immensely towards the wellbeing of the victims, especially children, whom she said find it very difficult to access food. The methodology of coming with the condiments to the community and involving the victims in the cooking process was therapeutic.
Councilor Madinatu Kamara maintained that she is happy about the continuation of the hot meal feeding program till the end of Ramadan, adding that her constituents had expressed the view that they are already traumatized because the breakfast program was ended and they are trying to come to terms with that before they heard of the stopping of the hot meal feeding program, but said with the continuation of the feeding program, it will leverage the negative impact of the fire disaster in her constituents.
Aminata Kamara, who also happens to be a beneficiary, expressed appreciation to Caritas Freetown and Partners for the hot meal feeding program, which she said has supported them and their families during such a critical moment of their lives.
she maintained that they were already frustrated when they received the news that the hot meal feeding program would have stopped on the 30th April, 2021, adding that the hot meal feeding program has supported them greatly and if Caritas Freetown would have ended this feeding program, it would have negatively affected them and their children.
