By Foday Moriba Conteh
As part of their continuous support to the less privileged children in the country, Pleasant Children Foundation (PCF), a non-governmental organization, that is geared towards promoting education for children without discrimination has on Saturday 10th October, 2020 donated school items, comprising books, bags, shoes, uniforms etc. worth millions of Leones to 500 less privileged children during their annual event which was tagged “Each One Educate One Campaign to Send Orphan, Street Children and Less Privileged Kids to School” at Emirates Hall, Rokel Community in the Western Area Rural District.
In her address, Marian Pleasant Kargbo, Chief Executive Officer/ Founder Pleasant Children Foundation (PCF), disclosed that during the past six years her organization has been working tremendously in order to support children within the Western Rural District with scholarships and school items worth millions of Leones, adding that for the past years they have been targeting the Western Rural area but as part of their expansion vision for the project this year they decided to include other communities like Tombo, Waterloo, Banana Island, Yoko, Grafton, Western Urban Area.
Marian Pleasant Kargbo noted that regardless of the Free Quality Education initiative by the Government of Sierra Leone there are still children who do not go attend school because they don’t have school materials of which that is why for the past years they decided to complement the efforts of Government by donating these school items to these less privileged children.
The CEO added that funding was a major challenge to actualize the gesture but extended appreciation to the Valley Christian Centre Foursquare Gospel Church USA for serving as the major sponsor by supporting 200 children followed by Pikin Bizness which also supported 10 Children. She further extended gratitude to individuals who believe in what their organization stands for and the work they have been doing over the years.
She admonished pupils to take their studies serious underscoring how education is the key to success, In that vein, she encouraged them to take this as an opportunity for them to achieve their dreams and become great people in society who will in return give back to society as she is doing currently.
Marian Pleasant Kargbo called on humanitarian organizations and individuals to support them in order to help more children, adding that because of the support they got this year they decided to extend from 250 children in 2019 to 500 children in 2020 and that their dream next year is to target 1000 children and that this can only be actualized if humanitarian organizations and individuals throw their support behind their vision.
Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs Mohamed Haji-Kella, extended gratitude to the Pleasant Children Foundation for their supports towards the development of children in the country, noting that as a Ministry they are committed in dealing with children issues across the country and in that regard the Government of Sierra Leone is committed in providing quality education.
He admonished beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity saying many other children want such an opportunity also underscoring that education is the key to success and they should take their studies serious, adding that with education they will achieve their dreams and become great people in society.
He ended by admonishing parents to be aware of their roles and responsibilities towards the development of their children; underscoring that they have pivotal roles to play towards the growth of their children. In that regard he encouraged them to monitor their children’s activities.
Basiru Fofanah, a beneficiary thanked Pleasant Children Foundation for the kind gesture which he graciously said was not only important but very timely in the midst of COVID-19 in the country. He highlighted that as schools have reopened the gesture will ease the burden on parents to purchase school materials.
He called on other humanitarian organizations to support the Foundation in order for them to continue to benefit from more donations and also benefit other children who are not part of this donation.
