By Foday Moriba Conteh
The President of the Orange Sierra Leone Women’s Organization, Martha Sumaila, has on the 14th April 2021 led a team of some members of the Orange Sierra Leone Women’s Organization to donate baby packs and a Bag of Rice (25kg) to vulnerable lactating mothers at the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital in Freetown.
The said donation targeted vulnerable lactating mothers at the DSM 2 Ward, Ward 2 & Ward 5 who were recommended by the Matron of the Hospital and among them were two victims of the Susan Bay Fire incident.
In her statement, President of the Orange Sierra Leone Women’s Organization, Martha Sumaila, noted that the Organization is aimed at enhancing women’s empowerment and fostering positive development amongst women in the company and the country as a whole, furthering that it is in that regard they thought it fit to extend their hands to the vulnerable lactating mothers at the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital offering them baby packs and a Bag of Rice (25kg).
She commended the CEO of Orange Sierra Leone, Aminata Kane, for her support towards their initiative, adding that the CEO is very passionate about the empowerment of women not only within her company but the country as a whole.
Martha Sumaila noted that the donation is a way of extending their helping hands to vulnerable people especially women, adding that there are so many vulnerable women who need help and they believe that the donation is just a starting point for more good gestures.
She used the opportunity to encourage pregnant women across the country to visit the nearest hospital or clinic around them in order to assess their Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC) which she said will definitely reduce the risks of complications during birth and after birth.
Matron of the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital, Irene M. Sesay expressed gratitude to the Orange Sierra Leone Women’s Organization for the kind donation which she said is not only important but very timely.
She noted that the PCMH is the main referral hospital in the country further revealing that a lot of the women in the hospital are vulnerable; adding that in most cases women will deliver at the hospital without having anything to take care of their babies.
Irene M. Sesay pointed out that such a donation to these vulnerable lactating mothers is a laudable venture which she said should be replicated by other organizations in order to support vulnerable women not only at the PCMH but also other vulnerable women out there.
One of the beneficiaries, Mariatu Turay, who happens to be a victim of the Susan’s Bay Fire disaster, expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Orange Sierra Leone Women’s Organization for the donation which she described as a timely intervention.
She disclosed that she went to the hospital to deliver without anything as she lost everything she had brought during the fire outbreak at Susan’s Bay and that even after delivery she had only one wrapper for her babies as she gave birth to twins.
Mariatu Turay said that with this donation, the organization has wiped her tears on her eyes assuring them that she will definitely use the donated items for the intended purpose.
