By Foday Moriba Conteh
In order to empower women as well as girls in the country and enhance the participation of women in nation building, We Yone Children Foundation, in collaboration with the Paul Hodges Trust UK & Wegdan Foundation in the Netherlands, has on Saturday 14th March, 2020 certified seventeen (17) teen mothers who successfully completed one year skills training in tailoring . The event took place at the Dwarzark Community Centre in Freetown.
In his address, Founder/ Executive Director, We Yone Child Foundation, Santigie Bayo Dumbuya, warmly congratulated the graduates, adding that it is part of their strides to empower women and girls in the country.
He noted that his organization has been working assiduously in order to give support to teen mothers saying in most cases society look down on them, adding that once a girl becomes pregnant and gives birth most people think that is the end adding that his organization believes in giving a second chance to teen mothers which is why they established the ‘We Yone Tailoring School’ as a mechanism to empower girls.
He disclosed that the project aims at empowering women and girls in order to be self-employed or employed to generate income.
He said with the skills given to these girls such will enhance their development and also help them to believe that they do matter in society.
Santigie Bayo Dumbuya said they started the skills training program in 2016 when they commence training on reusable pads and in 2017 they introduced tailoring which has benefited a lot of teen mothers in the Western Rural Area.
He further disclosed that they will be also adding two programs again in the scheme which is catering and ICT as skills acquired in those areas will also help to empower more girls. He said that the 17 graduates will not only receive certificates but also receive startup kits which are one brand new tailoring machine, materials etc. to each of them.
He called on the general populace to see teen mothers as very important people in society and urged institutions and individuals to support the development of women and girls in the country.
Tutor at the We Yone Tailoring School, Alusine Kargbo, expressed appreciation to the Founder/ Executive Director of We Yone Child Foundation, Santigie Bayo Dumbuya for initiating such an initiative that has benefited a lot of girls in the Western Rural Area.
He expressed appreciation to the graduates for undergoing several months of intensive training and for their relentless dedication to the entire program, which he believes had positively impacted them in that part of the country, noting that he is pleased to see the 17 teen mothers receiving their certificates of completion regardless of the challenges they went through.
He admonished them to be patient and embrace hard work saying the skills they have acquired will bring them more opportunities.
The Honorable Member of Parliament for Constituency 118, Hon. Isaac Tarawalie, also expressed appreciation to ‘We Yone Tailoring School’ for what he termed as a great initiative.
He admonished them to make good use of the opportunity given to them, adding that with what they have learnt skill they have been empowered and will help them to create more jobs for themselves and open more doors for income-generation.
One of the graduates, Unice Reffell, applauded the organization for the gesture which, according to her was not only very important but timely, adding that she is a teen mother narrating that when she got pregnant she dropped out of school and became helpless.
He disclosed that with the knowledge she has so far acquired she believes she has empowered been given to her by ‘We Yone Tailoring School’ which will also create more jobs for her and open more doors for income-generating opportunities.
She called on other girls who think because they are teen mothers all is lost for them to have a re-think and strive to empower themselves.
The event was climaxed by the presentation of certificates to the graduates and one brand new tailoring machine, materials etc. to each of them as startup kits.
