By Theresa Vamboi
It has been ascertained that the world is fighting to combat mental health with swift approaches to put a stop to suicide and untimely death.
The Management of SOS Children’s Village is abreast with the case of a former participant (child/youth), Nathaniel Tucker who has been facing mental health challenges, from childhood to present. The organisation has been reluctant to take action, even after it was mandated by their superiors’ SOS Children’s Villages International, Austria, to take action.
SOS Children’s Village Sierra Leone has failed in their existence in the country. For the past two (2) decade to present, the organisation has proven to be perverse, from domestic abuses; sexual exploitation, education abuse, neglect, corporal treatment, to fraud and corruption. International (internal investigations) interventions were made after the abuses were reported in 2016, but was insufficient due to the inclusion of ‘corrupt-minds’.
Apparently, Nathaniel Tucker is 27years old was integrated into SOS CV Sierra Leone as baby. He was a victim of the barbaric administration that inflicted him with domestic abuse; corporal treatment and neglect. He was thrown out of the programme pre-maturely. For the past 3 – 4 years he has been making himself useful doing menial jobs at the Lumley market, beach road, in Freetown.
Most days, he perambulates the streets of Lumley restlessly, posing as a menace to pedestrians. It is ironic that SOS CV Sierra Leone, is situated at the same venue, which should make it easier for Senior and junior staffs to spot him and take action. How can an organisation which claims to support its beneficiaries to their full potential ignore them? After Nathaniel’s story was shared in June-July this year there was optimism that something positive would be done, but to no avail. The International Office claims they have shared the situation report with authorities of SOS CV Sierra Leone to take action.
Photos have been shared with the organisation of the victim in a shabby, and helpless state to show the intensity of the situation. Dramatic as the situation sounds, there are other cases of the same situation as Nathaniel Tucker which is yet to be looked into. Nathaniel is exposed to many hazards; health, bully, and sexual exploit. If we are to differentiate members of society by their sobriety, then we are all perpetrators of the same crime; neglect and negligent.
It seems that the current Management of SOS CV Sierra Leone is been shown humility by their superiors in the International offices, Senegal and Austria.
They (SOS Sierra Leone) have successfully built an unethical relationship with the National Police Force, Lumley Division, to torture beneficiaries who intend to peacefully protest or demonstrate for their rights. Also, Therefore, it would be difficult for change to be permanent in SOS CV Sierra Leone and leaving the beneficiaries to face the wrath of their selfishness.
As a call for action, if we intend to promote sustainable development and combat the mental health epidemic, we should be limitless in our approach to take action.
