By Foday Moriba Conteh
In an effort to find out how the Child Empowerment Program has made a difference in the lives of the children and youngsters with disabilities in the country, One Family People (OFP), a Strategic Partner Organization of Liliane Foundation in Sierra Leone has on Thursday 23rd March, 2023 concluded a one-day Pre-validation workshop on its 2019-2022 Program Evaluation preliminary findings. The One-day Pre-validation workshop was held at the One Family People’s Head Office on Congo Cross in Freetown.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Program Manager of One Family People, Samuel P.O.V Macaulay, said that the organization received experts form Cameroon who came into the country through the Liliane Foundation in the Netherlands in order to conduct an organizational evaluation for One Family People during the period of 2019 to 2022.
He revealed that the evaluation looked at how the Child Empowerment Program, that is been implemented by their partner organizations, has made a difference in the lives of children and youngsters with disabilities in the country.
The Program Manager said that according to the preliminary findings the organization is doing well towards the implementation of the program in the country, adding that the organization also took into cognizance the recommendations highlighted in the report of which he said as an organization they have taken note of them and they will implement those recommendations going forward.
One of the consultants, a Community Based Development Consultant in Cameroon, Pascal Ahidjo, said that they are very happy about their findings.
He said that during their evaluation they visited districts where the program is been implemented and they accessed major achievements in terms of inclusion, empowerment, improved living conditions of children and youngsters with disabilities in the country and also identified some challenges that the program is faced with in terms of its implementation.
Underscoring the purpose of the evaluation, Pascal Ahidjo, said that it is intended to provide initial data to inform a country specific with context specific long-term outcomes and short-term outputs for each domain of CBR for the Child Empowerment Program and to inspire OFP’s review of its current strategic plan as individual partner organizations.
Pascal Ahidjo revealed that the country program within the period 2019 – 2022 contributed to the sustainable inclusion, empowerment and improved living conditions of children and youngsters with disabilities in the program intervention areas in Sierra Leone.
He said that from their evaluation it is clear that the program is still largely at the level of building capacities in resource mobilization and has not yet started registering substantial results in terms of increased alternate funding, furthering that increased collaboration with district authorities (some local councils) to support disability inclusive initiatives like livelihood improvement activities is important.
Speaking on behalf of one of the partner organizations, the Chief Executive Officer, Dorothy Springer Trust, Dr Abs Dumbuya described the evaluation as very important to them as partner organizations, adding that the evaluation will help to build their capacity towards the implementation of the Child Empowerment Program.
He said that they have listened to the preliminary findings of which major issues were highlighted in the report. He said that as partner organizations they will receive the recommendations wholeheartedly and assured to work jointly with One Family People towards the improvement of the program in the country.
