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Tacugama Sierra Leone Concludes Teaching and Learning Workshop

Roots & Shoots teacher-coordinators displays workshop certificates

By Sumner Kangbap

On Thursday, 24th October Conservationists gathered at the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Regent, West of Freetown to exchange ideas and information on the vital components of Tacugama’s work in Sierra Leone and as a Chimp Sanctuary that has immensely contributed to building the capacity of teachers and supporting children in Sierra Leone.

The workshop was facilitated by Teaching and Education expert, Dr. Debbie Tuckwood, BA. (Hons) PGCE Doc Soc Sci, who conducted the ‘Focus on Teaching and Learning Workshop for 13 Teacher-Coordinators of the Roots & Shoots School Clubs at Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary. The aim of the workshop was to explore best practice teaching techniques to help inspire students and make learning stick.

Roots & Shoot is a youth empowerment programme that inspires and enables young people to become compassionate leaders who are globally mindful and locally active by guiding them through youth-led, community environment–related projects that help people, animals and the environment.

In February this year, World-renowned primatologist, Dr. Jane Goodall visited Sierra Leone and formally announced the launch and partnership with the Jane Goodall’s Institute (JGI) to establish Roots & Shoots in the country. This event has made Roots & Shoots now active in Sierra Leone amongst other countries around the world.

The club is now in 13 secondary and primary schools whose teachers were drawn from 8 schools within and outside of Regent. Five secondary and 3 primary school teachers will have to serve as coordinators of the club in their respective schools and at the same time serve as ‘Ambassadors’ for Tacugama guiding students to take responsible actions towards environment/wildlife protection.

The trainer, Dr Tuckwood is a skilled educator from the UK who regularly presents and writes about best practice in education. She has been involved for over 40 years in teaching (primary, secondary and adults), curriculum development, examinations and occupational standard setting.

In UAE President Bio Entices Elite Agro to Bring Investment to Sierra Leone

By Alim Jalloh

Dubai based Elite Agro has been engaged and lured over to invest in Sierra Leone in the agricultural sector. This was disclosed from the UAE capital where President Dr. Julius Maada Bio met with the Chairman of Elite Agro, Sultan Alshamsi on Saturday 26 October 2019 and discussed about possible ways of investing in food cultivation in Sierra Leone.

Elite Agro is the leading producer and distributor of agricultural commodities in the UAE, engaging in growing, sourcing, importing and marketing a wide range of high-value agricultural products through world-class technology and effective distribution chain with the most economic use of natural resources. The company operates in several countries in Africa and around the world.

During their talks, President Bio told Agro Elite the importance of food security as part of his human capital development priorities. H said the country needs adequate food production in order for the overall developmental plan of the government to succeed.

Our government has been encouraging investors in the agricultural sector to be able to produce more food, create jobs, and reduce the importation of foodstuff, particularly rice – the staple food of the country. He also noted that Sierra Leone was a perfect place for agricultural activities because of its fertile land and added that with the required modern technology, the country would return to its past glory of being a rice exporting nation. He also mentioned that he was looking at possible ways of transferring modern skills to locals, saying that that was the best way of taking people out of poverty.

“We want to produce more food to feed our people and reduce rice importation and as well begin to export food items to other parts of the world. We have landed the African Free Trade which means we also have a big market of 1.2 billion to sell our products. We also want improved technologies because that will help us get improved variety of crops,’’ he said.

The Chairman of the Elite Agro, Sultan Alshamsi, was very elated at the report given by the president about his country. Sultan Alshamsi said that they were interested in investing in Sierra Leone because of the favourite climate they had seen. As a result, he assured of readiness to help the West African nation grow its own food to feed its people with enough to export, which would help boost the local economy.

Other areas of investments like skills transfers to locals, etc, all in a bid to ensure that the country produces enough food for sustainability. The president was accompanied by the First Lady Mrs Fatima Maada Bio, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the UAE, Rashid Sesay, and other senior members of government, was also taken on a conducted tour of various operating farms of the Elite Agro in Al Ain, UAE ‘s inland oasis city on the eastern border with Oman.

 

Basharia Mosque Incident Opens Eyes Wide on Freedom of Religion in Sierra Leone

By Amin Kef Sesay

Although ignorance of the law is no excuse, ignorance of facts is a complete defense. What happened at the Basharia Mosque last Friday for which many views have been expressed clearly showed the importance of Sierra Leoneans to be fully conscious that religion is a source of value, identity etc. Its fundamental principle is the oneness of God and his highest creation – human beings should love one another, serve and respect each other at all times.

In a pluralistic society like ours, religious communities have power and influence and they must be careful to avoid the temptation to use religion as a yardstick influence opinions or change. This can prompt one in a dangerous direction.

Political parties are mixed with many other interests. The goals of politics are quite different from those of religion. Therefore religion must promote external values and not allow political programmes and persons to use it for egotistical interests at the expense of others.

Thus, as a nation, we must focus on how to make religious values instrumental for a better society, and not as a tool to divide and sow the seeds of animosity and hate among us.

As such, religion should promote freedom, justice, care for and respect for the freedom of conscience of all, not only for those who belong to our religious group.

In this light, religion should not be used for political gains or to seek support for political power in advancing its goals. To do otherwise will set the stage for the abuse of the rights of sections of the citizens.

Sierra Leone is a secular state and this should be used by all people not to divert the values of religion and politics together. Instead, it should be used for the good of society to build national cohesion.

The state of Sierra Leone is inherently a democratic one in which the equality of all constitutes becomes a fundamental tenet because of it is a sovereign state and everyone is equal in all respects, including thought and conscience.

Certainly, it would be a contradiction to think of a state that imposes a dominant religious or political belief on others, either expressly or insidiously. Thus, a denial of religious liberty is the most invidious means available for those that contrive to dehumanize their fellows.

The right to religious freedom is a fundamental prerequisite for every other right, both physical and conceptual, and the worst form of abuse and discrimination that can happen to any human being is to be persecuted for the reason of how one conceives and practically relates to God.

Religion shall be respected and the State shall protect churches, mosques and places and objects of worship, provided they abide by the laws of the State. It is for this reason that international human rights instruments and the constitutions of African States guarantee the right to freedom of thought, conscience and belief in addition to religion.

Thus, we are not against the right of ‘religion’ being guaranteed by the State, rather are of the strong belief that socio-economic and political circumstances do not favour the marriage between the State and religion and that any such relationship is subject to exploitation and could be dangerous for the image of the particular religion and for the cohesion and stability of the State.

In a liberal constitutional democracy, when citizens or officials seek publicity to justify their policies, they should rely only on reasoning accessible to all rational citizens, and should refrain from invoking reasons, such as religious justifications, that are not cogent to all rational people.

We sincerely hope that the point is made – that Sierra Leoneans are one, and that we should never allow religion and politics to divide but unite us at all times; even in the diversity of our religious and political convictions.

 

ACC Sierra Leone Arrests Health Workers who Extorted 2 Foreign Bloggers

By Brima Sannoh

Following a widely circulated video from two American Tour Bloggers about the Ministry of Health Staff attached to the border crossing with Liberia extorting $150 from them in a fake scam about Cholera Vaccine, the Anti-Corruption Commission’s Scorpion Squad have arrested and detained three identified staff, including  two tourists, for further investigation.

The Scorpion Squad was immediately invoked by the Commissioner after reviewing the video last night and they moved in and set an intelligence perimeter around the border crossing point at night. They then moved in with precision to arrest the said staff as they came in the morning for work having confirmed their identities and locations. They were transported to the Commission in Freetown by the ACC team stationed in Bo to answer for the shame and disrespect they have brought to the country and its people should the investigations confirm their alleged actions.

The ACC is currently taking steps to locate the tour bloggers so they can assist with the investigation and have the money taken from them refunded. The Commission said they will be grateful if anyone who knows their whereabouts can contact them before they leave for Guinea.

The ACC is assuring the Public that it will leave no stone unturned to help launder the image of the country and to hold the corrupt responsible for their actions and crimes.

Big Trouble for NGOs in Sierra Leone

Dr. Francis Kaikai

By Theresa Vamboi

Non-Governmental Organisations in Sierra Leone are facing new challenges over a new act that intends to regulate their finances over their clients or beneficiaries.  According to investigative reports being monitored by this press, it is intimidated that the transactions between local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the country and their foreign partners or donors will soon face strict scrutiny.

The new proposed policy or law by Government will see NGOs/CSOs commit 70% of their allocations to their target beneficiaries, and retain 30% in taxes and management cost.

Few months back, the Ministry of Economic Planning held series of meetings with NGOs/CSOs for the full implementation of the policy which among other things includes the 70% quota. Though the matter is still unresolved between Government and the NGO Community yet sources say that the focus is to strip-off NGOs of 70% resources to go directly benefitting beneficiaries than rippling off them.

It is also noted that CEOs of NGOs are exploiting their beneficiaries by failing to implement full resources on them.  Corruption and exploitation have surfaced as the main reasons why the NGOs/CSOs have been subject to the new rules soon to be implemented. Meanwhile, the NGO community has debunked the allegations as merely trumpeted and politically motivated. As far as they are concerned, they have not agreed with government proposal on the issue.

 

AYV Sierra Leone Goes BBC

By Amin Kef Sesay

LONDON – The Africa Young Voices Media Empire (AYV) and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) have begun an intensive media professional training programme in London for AYV journalists and executives. The BBC has a world class media platform in broadcasting and an international reputation for creative programme-making.

AYV journalists have been selected to undertake professional media development training at the BBC. This follows development initiatives to train AYV journalists and executives to world class standards. The training programme takes place at the BBC’s headquarters in London, which is at the very heart of media innovation in the world. The training embeds AYV’s journalists into BBC’s world class media development and cutting-edge broadcasting.

Sierra Leone has a special relationship of a kind with Britain, and AYV and BBC are leveraging this relationship to deliver world class media, with a view to provide the very latest development in broadcasting. AYV and BBC have fostered a good relationship following the signing of a Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the two media institutions.

The Partnership between the two institutions is based upon shared values and common interests, including in promoting and supporting good, accurate journalism –based on content that is ethical, balanced, independent, critical and of public interest. AYV will be working with the BBC to promote media development in Sierra Leone. AYV is tapping the most powerful BBC platform and massive BBC World service programmes and newsgathering to create more programmes for audiences in a more creative and cutting-edge formats.

MRS CHINWE KALU-UMA from the BBC said: The partnership from the BBC is always significant when we signed a deal with a partner outside the UK. This means that we can expand our audience reach and get the BBC quality news and content to partners and audiences outside the UK. Sierra Leone is a significant partner for us in West Africa and so to be able to collaborate with AYV, yet another great TV station in Sierra Leone is fantastic. We can see the content that AYV puts out there, its resonates very well with younger audiences and so our staff are really excited to be working with AYV’’.

Speaking at the training, MS ANTONIA HOWARD from the AYV in Sierra Leone stressed the need to account journalistic values, ethics and principles when reporting stories and having reliable and accurate facts put in a meaningful context. She said: ‘’We are doing essential the same thing as the BBC in Sierra Leone with our journalism work.  It has been a very good experience coming to the BBC and we hope to take our new skills back in Sierra Leone to improve our work’’.

Sharing her experience from the training at the BBC, MS STEALLA BANGURA from AYV in Sierra Leone said: ‘’This training better capacitate us on how we gather, report news and coordinate things. We are learning best practices from the BBC as well as share our experiences to be provide good content for our audiences. We are very excited to be at the BBC and very much looking forward to a mutually productive partnership with the BBC. It’s a win-win for both AYV and BBC’’.

MR FAYIAH FATOMA from AYV in Sierra Leone expressed appreciation to both AYV and BBC for the training, stressing the need to implement the skills gained at the BBC, to change the media landscape in Sierra Leone.

MR MESSEH LEONE from AYV International in London said: ‘’This is an historic moment. This partnership harnesses AYV’s global reach and broadcasting capabilities to bring audiences good content. AYV has a long history of supporting emerging media leaders to provide work based learning opportunities for people interested in the Media, so this partnership with the BBC is an excellent platform to develop AYV’s long-standing objective to engage and empower journalists. This partnership will enable AYV to be a media leader in Africa. This is part of the vision of our CEO’s Ambassador Anthony Navo Jnr to engage and empower journalists and expand the work of AYV at national and global level’’.

As one of Sierra Leone’s media leaders, AYV is interested in investing in creative and energetic people with diverse perspectives and talents. The BBC training will see AYV journalists immersed in BBC’s media experience and expertise so they can empower AYV journalists with more effective multi-platform content production and strategies.

This is an intensive training programme from top media experts and shadowing at BBC, as well as collaborative sessions with top journalists. The training programme offers shadowing and interactive engagement on newsgathering, content curation, broadcasting, distribution, research and analytics, breaking news in both traditional and new media.

The BBC is the world’s oldest national broadcasting organisation and the largest broadcaster in the world. AYV is an initiative of Sierra Leone’s Youth Ambassador Anthony Navo Jnr. AYV dominates the media sector in Sierra Leone with a nationwide newspaper, television and radio network across the country.

AYV and BBC aim to nurture talent, both in front and behind the camera which is an important part of the partnership between the two institutions, to strengthen and scale the volume and quality of content. This partnership is about investment in the media: people with fresh ideas, innovative viewpoints, a willingness to work hard, and a commitment to the highest standards of journalism.

AYV will continue to work with the BBC to promote media development in Sierra Leone. AYV is tapping the most powerful BBC platform and massive BBC World service programmes and newsgathering to create more programmes for audiences in Sierra Leone in a more creative and cutting-edge formats. The BBC has been producing programmes that are being aired on AYV, a new series of innovative and amazing programmes.

The BBC World Service will continue to provide AYV current news and content that complement its global programmes in Africa. This partnership offers AYV a world-class broadcasting platform for its audiences.

The BBC will continue to support the development of new programmes and training for AYV as part of the new partnership. It is part of a long-term mutually beneficial partnership involving the BBC and AYV, with the aim of supporting media development programmes reflecting the special relationship between Sierra Leone and United Kingdom.

 

President Bio meets Crown Prince of Emirates, calls for support to Sierra Leone

President Dr Julius Maada Bio has met with the Crown Prince of Emirates, His Highness Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

By Alim Jalloh

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – President Dr Julius Maada Bio has on Tuesday 29 October, 2019 met with the Crown Prince of Emirates, His Highness Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi where he called for support to Sierra Leone’s development process.

President Bio thanked Prince Nahyan for meeting him to meet and discuss issues relating to the development and commended him for sending a 22-man delegation to Sierra Leone in April this year. He said after the visit a lot of progress had been made to foster the relationship between Sierra Leone and the Emirates.

He said his government was moving in the right direction and had been able to bring back international credibility and confidence through fiscal discipline and effective economic management. He said his government was truly committed to improving the livelihood of its citizens, adding that they were looking for credible partners with genuine intentions to help in the development process.

“We are a small nation but with huge potentials that we can use to better the lives of our people. What we need now is genuine friends who can help us actualise the dreams of making our nation a better place. We will appreciate your support, especially in food production so we can be able to feed our people and export foodstuff to help boost our foreign exchange,” he said.

In his response, Prince Nahyan said that he was happy to meet the President and his delegation. He said they were using technology as a basis for their development in catching up with the rest of the world by bringing the best experts across the world to work in their country. He said they had heard a lot of stories about the challenging history of Sierra Leone and were ready to help the country in its development drive.

President Bio was accompanied by Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the UAE, Rashid Sesay, and other senior members of government. Later on, the President and his delegation also visited the Sierra Leone Embassy in Abu Dhabi where he had an interactive session with staff of the Embassy.

Orange Sierra Leone Takes Menstrual Hygiene Education to Ahmadiyya, Independence and St. Helena Schools

Head of CSR Orange Sierra Leone, Desmond Spaine

By Alim Jalloh

Orange Sierra Leone continues to demonstrate its Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy by reaching to more schools. The latest schools to get menstrual hygiene packs and education were Ahmadiyya Islamic Secondary School, Independence and St. Helena Secondary Schools in Freetown.

On Monday 28th October the company visited the three schools’ campuses. Led by the Head of the Corporate Social Responsibility for Orange Sierra Leone, Desmond Spaine and team said the visit to the schools was to support the Free Quality Education programme of the Government of Sierra Leone in effectively managing menstrual hygiene circles for girls.

The support was consistent with the pledge of USD 1.5 million materials made by Orange Sierra Leone in August, 2018 when President Bio was launching the Free, Quality Education in Freetown. This was further explained that it contains five other projects which the company would roll out later this year to benefit pupils and teachers.

Girl Child Network Sierra Leone is one of the partners of the project and a beneficiary of the NGO, Abibatu, gave a short talk on how pupils should manage their menstrual. Amongst which she maintained that an effective administration of their menstrual calendar would require them not to use contraceptives.

Cordelia Sogie-Thomas of the Orange CSR team handed over one hundred reusable and highly scientifically tested menstrual hygiene packs to each of the three schools visited to the authorities. They encouraged the authorities to record the distribution of the hygiene packs in diaries for follow-up purposes. All three school authorities lauded Orange Sierra Leone for the initiative and assured them that, they will effectively manage the consignments for their intended purposes.

The project which will run for the next five years will have to roll out 10,000 packs of menstrual hygiene packs in total to one hundred schools across Sierra Leone.

Founder of Girl Child Network Sierra Leone Madam Anita Koroma expressed satisfaction over support Orange gave to the organisation in providing schools especially the girl-child education on the early use of contraceptives by teenage girls in Sierra Leone.

Founded in 2011, the organization works on different areas of intervention related to Education, Girl Rights, Ending violence against girls, Leadership and Empowerment skills development.

Currently, Madam Koroma is working with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on interventions that are geared towards encouraging girls to stay in school by producing and distributing reusable, durable and eco-friendly menstrual hygiene packs which guide girls on how to manage their menstrual cycles responsibly.

She is also working with Orange Sierra Leone in implementing effective sensitization on menstrual hygiene management for girls as a way of supporting the Free Quality Education program.

In a snap interview by this press, Madam Anita disclosed that the issue of getting girls to stay in school has been a challenge because the issue of menstrual cycles has been a taboo. As a result girls in schools are not open and comfortable to discuss it especially with their parents, boys or their teachers.

The Girl Child Network CEO also called for breaking this culture of silence. She encourages girls, school authorities and parents to openly discuss issues around menstrual hygiene and to support the girls while they are undergoing their menstrual periods.

Madam Anita Koroma founder CEO Girl Child Network Sierra Leone

Orange Sierra Leone Gives ‘Big Sister’ Season II Big Boost

By Alim Jalloh

Corporate management of events lead to most successful ones becoming iconic in terms of splendour, organisation and outcomes. This is about to be seen in the upcoming ‘Big Sister’ Sierra Leone Season II.

Quite recently, Freetown and the whole of West Africa were glued to TV sets across participating cities to witness the launch of the magnanimous event in Sierra Leone’s capital.

Big time sponsor Orange Sierra Leone’s Chief Marketing Officer Alimatou Mbaye said as a company, Orange’s partnership with Zed-Zee Multimedia in organising Big Sister Sierra Leone II will promote women’s empowerment in Sierra Leone.

“At Orange we believe that investing in young people, will secure the future of the country and this show will help to promote the image and culture of the people to the world”, she said. She assures all that Orange SL was very happy to sponsor the event and will continue to invest in the lives and businesses of Sierra Leoneans.

‘’We are more delighted than them because we take pride in empowering youths, especially young women.’’ Big Sister Sierra Leone Season 2 is a woman empowerment reality TV show initiated by Sierra Leone female celebrity, Zainab Sheriff.

Women from different Western African countries will be kept in a house for 7 weeks and the winner through votes will win $50,000. Orange Sierra Leone has a tremendous record of providing support towards the empowerment of women. Their CSR has gone beyond borders to extend to health and sanitation, education, innovation and technology etc.

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