By Amin Kef (Ranger)
During a snap ceremony held on Thursday 8th December 2022 at the First Lady’s Office on Goderich in Freetown, the newly appointed Honorary Consul of the Republic of Korea in Sierra Leone, Mahesh Nandwani presented five brand new Hyundai SUV vehicles to the Maada and Fatima Bio Foundation.
The Five brand new Hyundai SUV vehicles that was presented on behalf of the Republic of Korea National Red Cross are meant for the Hands Off our Girls Campaign, which was launched specifically to bring awareness, influence policy, and support women and girls to have access to reproductive healthcare and treatment for conditions like Fistula and Cancer and to eliminate such abuses like early childhood marriage, gender-based violence, and rape.
Handing over the vehicles, the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Korea in Sierra Leone, Mahesh Nandwani said the vehicles were donated following a request that was made by the Foundation to the Republic of Korean Red Cross for the transportation of sanitary pads across Sierra Leone.
He added that the Korean Government realizes the existing good working relationship with Sierra Leone and added that the donation will further strengthen the bilateral ties between the two countries and also promote issues of women and girls. “I look forward to achieving other milestones in the near future,” the Consul said.
Receiving the donation, the First Lady, Madam Fatima Maada Bio thanked the Republic of Korean Government and the Korean Red Cross for supporting their Foundation, which is working for the Office of the First Lady.
“We requested a minibus and they have given us more than that,” she said and continued that the project had been approved in 2020 but a few hiccups along the line caused the delay in the arrival of the vehicles.
The First Lady lauded the good work of the Consul, Mahesh Nandwani, whose private company has been supportive of the national basket project of the Hands Off Our Girls campaign.
“We are grateful that you have supported us throughout this period, from the COVID to Ramadan Donations and the basket fund,” she said and furthered that the Koreans have now given more light to the Maada and Fatima Bio Foundation to do more work in the country. She promised that the vehicles will be utilized for their intended purposes.
