By Abubakarr Harding
As part of its efforts towards safeguarding maternal health in the country, Orange Foundation Sierra Leone, has on Tuesday 7th February 2023 signed a partnership with Mama Pikin Foundation. The signing ceremony was done during a Press Conference held at Orange Sierra Leone Headquarters on Hill Station in Freetown.
The partnership between the two entities seek to implement a Project titled : “Safeguarding Maternal Health for the Preservation of the Health of Expectant Mothers in Sierra Leone”.
In her welcome address, the Orange Foundation Manager, Finnah Stevens, stated that the Project is an outcome of their commitment to contribute to social goals, by engaging and supporting sustainable development in Sierra Leone, asserting that the company has an effective Foundation strategy with health and women/girls forming its core.
She added that Orange SL has established a formidable partnership with the ‘Mama Pikin’ Foundation to reduce maternal mortality in the nation.
“I need not to emphasis in stating that maternal mortality continues to plague the lives of our women across the country,” she says adding that the company together with one of their partners, ICAP of Columbia University, identified Kroo-Bay Community as one of the communities with the highest percentage of maternal mortality over the years based on the data from the Ministry of Health & Sanitation.
She intimated how they implemented a Project at the Kroo-Bay Community for the past two years maintaining that since the implementation of the project there has been a reduction in maternal deaths.
The Manager said that the objectives for the maternal health project are to promote awareness on the importance of maternal healthcare, to screen for risk factors of maternal morbidity and mortality among pregnant women, to facilitate linkage of pregnant women within the community to appropriate health care among others.
She furthered that the objectives will be accomplished through the following project intervention: Community health promotion, Multi-disease screening service , Baby case boxes, M-Health Service and IPC measures for maternal Health service.
Founder of ‘Mama Pikin’ Foundation, Dr. Fatu Fornah, commended the Orange Foundation for their intervention which is geared towards reduction in the rate of maternal deaths in Sierra Leone.
Dilating on the ‘Mama Pikin’ Foundation, Dr. Fornah said that the Foundation’s goal is to improve the health of women, children and families in Sierra Leone revealing how the Foundation was co-founded by her and her husband in 2008.
She informed that the work they do is to support hospitals, clinics, teaching of Doctors, Nurses, mid-wives to improve maternal and child wellbeing as well as support the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
According to the Founder, in saving the lives of mothers and children health care workers have to work at the community level and society level. She stated that at the community level and society they provide delivery buckets and transportation assistance to all women that gave birth to children.
She stated that one of the main pillars of safe delivery is to go to a health centre to deliver maintaining that if someone stays at home to deliver there are possibilities for fatalities to occur.
In another development, the Orange Esport Experience is a global event and competition that brings Esport enthusiasts and players from around the world. Over 8,500 Euros was given in cash prizes during the 5th Edition in Cote d’Ivoire.
The Sierra Leone champion, Mohamed Jalloh, who was one of the winners of the local tournament, went on to perform very well but missing out on the top spot to Egypt. He shares his experience from the Orange Esport Experience Tournament in Cote D’Ivoire. He is excited about the great hospitality, meeting awesome people, enjoying the games, and raising the Sierra Leone flag high.
He expressed delight and gratitude to the Orange SL CEO and promised to join in pushing Esport in Sierra Leone.
Orange Sierra Leone has been investing in young talents and in things that are close to the heart of the youth. Esport is quickly becoming a phenomenon around the world, and Orange is supporting in making sure that Esport lovers are given the opportunity to enjoy the game, and strengthen the sport in Sierra Leone.
