One hundred and fifty (150) aged and needy people in the Western Area Urban and Rural Districts have received food and nonfood items from the Friends of Humanity Organisation. Giving the background of the organisation, Operations Manager Ibrahim Thoronka said it started as a Community Based Organisation (CBO) in Sierra Leone, but fully became operational as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in March this year.
Ibrahim Thoronka disclosed that the aims and objectives of the organisation are to help the less privileged, especially the aged who are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Mr. Thoronka pointed out that the organisation is geared towards helping the vulnerable women in agriculture to attain food self-sufficiency and help women to derive from their produce through market value as well as complementing the effort of government to have more literate people in society.
He said the organisation aims to also help give the less privileged the value added chain through agriculture and help to strengthen environmental protection through planting of trees, and on gardening. He revealed that they are also currently embarking on tree planting activities as government has helped the organisation with 1000 trees to be plating at Kpoubu Village.
According to Mr. Thoronka, the organisation during the Ebola and mudslide supported victims with food and nonfood items, including financial support.
Thoronka, however, stated that the donation is a continuous process, and for this 2020 Christmas, the orgnisation deemed it prudent to continue with their gesture to the aged in different locations across Western Urban and Rural districts.
He said this is a yearly donation to the less privileged, adding that in order to expand their operation in the country they are currently operating in the Western Area Rural, Urban and Tonkolili districts.
In a stride to complement government’s effort in strengthening education, according to Mr. Thoronka their organisation is currently constructing a school building at Kendema village in the Tonkolili District with additionally planned three classroom construction with modern facilities including school uniforms, books and other school materials worth millions of Leones thereby complementing government’s free and quality education.
He disclosed: “The organisation is also geared towards enhancing farming in the country through capacitating women in the rural communities through farming and capacity building.”
The National Coordinator, Sierra Leone Friends of Humanity, Mr. James Wright, disclosed that the ultimate aim of the organisation is to help strengthen humanity.
Mr. James Wright went further that the organisation receives funding through personal contributions from members, especially Mrs. Fatima Mammah in UK and other members from USA, Canada and Sierra Leone.
According to Mr. Wright, the move by the organisation to donate the food and non-food items is meant for people who are above 70 in their homes, including the King George Memorial VI home at Grafton for the Christmas celebrations.
He, however, is asking the government and other humanitarian institutions for support to uplift the status of the vulnerable and to ensure that the organisation becomes viable in complementing the government’s efforts to help needy citizens.
He said the Christmas donated items include toiletries, quality food packages with Christmas cards worth millions of Leones.
Disclosing the strides of the organisation, Mr. Wright went on that they have built 20 houses after a fire disaster, with donation of food and nonfood items to fire victims at Kendema Village in the Tonkolili District.
He said if all goes well and they receive funding from donor partners, they plan to provide toilet and water well facilities to the fire victims in the village.
He concluded that in order to help provide food to the country, the organisation has secured a 49 acre farm in Kpoubu Village at Newton.
The Admin Manager of Friends of Humanity, Madam Jacqueline A L. Hamilton, said the organisation is working to salvage the basic needs of the aged and other vulnerable categories in the country especially in Western Area Urban and Rural districts.
She, however, disclosed that the donation will continue unabated as her organisation is a humanitarian institution that cares for all.
Madam Hamilton further disclosed that to continue with the organisation’s philanthropic gesture, Friends of Humanity will continue their Christmas gift and donation to 350 less privileged Children on Saturday 26th December 2020.
The gift and donation according to Madam Jacqueline will take place at Kamayama, Waterloo and Newton communities respectively.
Receiving the Christmas gift, the Home Manager of King George Memorial Home, Christiana John, expressed thanks and appreciation to the Friends of Humanity for the gesture, adding that the donation is a true demonstration of the loving care the organisation has for the people of Sierra Leone especially the aged.
According to Madam Christiana John, the food and nonfood items donated to King George Home by the Friends of Humanity Organisation are a blessing in disguise especially for some of them in the home who are in dire need of such gestures.
The Mende Tribal Chief, Chief Matthew Jibao Young, in his statement pointed out that the organisation has demonstrated a sense of love for the old people, adding that most of them needed the donated items but could not afford them, and thanked the organisation for the donation on their behalf.
According to Chief Young, this is the first time for some of aged to have received such a laudable gesture especially during this festive season.
He thanked the donors and staff of the organisation for the donation and assured that they will be used for their intended purposes.
Dozens of beneficiaries expressed their appreciation to the organisation for the donation and appealed for more to help boost their old age.