By Edward Vamboi
In order to avail young people the opportunity to come up with cogent ideas or meaningful national responses for a post COVID-19 Sierra Leone, the Grassroots Action for National Development (GRAND), a Non-profitable and Non- Governmental organization, on the 13th August 2021 held an Essay Competition Award Ceremony on the topic: “The Sierra Leone I want to See” which was inter alia conducted for students attending various tertiary institutions, during an event which was held at the institution’s Headquarters on Adelaide Street in Freetown.
The main thrust of the event was to officially present awards to certified winners of the GRAND 2020 Essay Competition meant for students in tertiary institutions.
According to the Acting National Coordinator of the Grassroots Action for National Development, Alie Tarawally, GRAND was initially established in 2016 by very committed Sierra Leoneans who were very passionate about enhancing development in the nation. He said since its formation in 2016 GRAND has undertaken a lot of interventions.
Alie Tarawally informed that they first intervened during the mud slide incident at Kaningo and Kamayama, in the West End of Freetown, during which time they targeted over One Hundred and Fifty victims affected by the unfortunate disaster.
He further disclosed how they also donated food items worth over Thirty Million Leones to victims of the Susan’s Bay Community and also offered awards to the best tertiary institutions that took place in an Essay Competition which includes giving out cash prizes to the first three winners.
The Acting National Coordinator stated that their latest activity was considered as very significant in the sense that as an institution they are just too passionate about education as they believe that it can create a platform for a lot of young people in the country to realize or discover their full potentials.
Alie Tarawally said during emergencies or tough times, people have time to sit, think and bring out sensitive innovations. He said they are very much certain that in the post COVID-19 period Sierra Leone will not be the same Sierra Leone before COVID-19.
He underscored that they decided to choose a topic that is related to what the universe in general and the nation in particular are presently facing which, he said, is the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alie Tarawally said primarily students from ten tertiary institutions registered for the essay competition but only three were certified by the judges namely Emmanuel Suma from Fourah Bay College who took the third position, Sulaiman Bonnie of Fourah Bay College who emerged in the second position and Simeon Harding from IMTECH who took the first position.
Alie Tarawally concluded by saying they as an organization they decided to choose COVID-19 as a topic to see how best young people can think out of the box saying because if they are going to survive in the post COVID-19 phase the nation must have a stable economy.
In his keynote address, Cecil John Kwesi Dadson extended sincere gratitude to the entire membership of GRAND for giving him the opportunity to address the occasion.
He said he is indeed humble to be given the privilege and responsibility to speak to young people on nation building revealing how GRAND is a local humanitarian organization formed by students who went through Fourah Bay College (F.B.C) during the 90’s and the year 2000 adding how the organization had been making meaningful contributions towards development and nation building.
Cecil John Kwesi Dadson stated that the organization is mainly targeting the grassroots in society, whom they feel are the most vulnerable and direct victims of social injustice, humanitarian disasters and other ills of society.
He said among the group, young people make up the bulk of the membership which is why GRAND always designs its programs to address the needs and aspirations of young people.
Cecil John Kwesi Dadson further revealed how they have in the past organized a computer course program for school going children who have never had the opportunity to touch a computer keyboard.
He said they have given humanitarian supports to vulnerable groups in the form of food and non- food items to victims of floods, fire disasters etc.
Cecil John Kwesi Dadson concluded by stating that GRAND believes in the enormous ability of young people who have talents adding how they have recognized the challenges faced by young people and will continue to engage them in various aspects of society.
Simeon Harding, the student from IMTECH who won the essay competition extended his sincere and heartfelt gratitude to the entire membership of the Grassroots Action for National Development (GRAND) for availing him the opportunity to participate in the competition and offered him the platform in an event of such a magnitude.
