…Sending a strong message on fortitude to end early marriage in Port Loko District
Radiance SL in partnership with the EBK University recently holds its 2024 Annual Girls Empowerment in Port Loko District under the auspices of the Resident Minister North-West Amb. Umaru Bun Wurie.
The conference which started from the 5th of December ends December 7th 2024, with the present of over one hundred and fifty school kids from across Port Loko, Kenema and Western Area Rural Districts.
Speaking during conference the Conference Coordinator Miatta Taimeh said the theme of the conference is the Role of Education in Ending Gender Base Violence, Teenage Pregnancy and Early Marriage. According to her the conference aims at addressing the challenges young girls are dealing with in their communities.
Madam Taimeh noted thus during the conference the young girls and other participants present were informed on how education can be a potent means to end early marriage, teenage pregnancy, rape and other GBV issues perpetrated against women and girls. “Education empowers women and girls to know their rights, protect their rights and be positioned to use the right channels to fight for their rights when trampled upon”, Madam Taimeh asserted.
Miatta Taimeh continued to get the message across activities like debate and quiz competitions were organized for the participating schools on the theme of the conference. “From the points raised by the girls during the debate competition in appreciating education as a decisive tool in ending GBV against women and girls, it is clear that we are making progress in getting our girls to know, promote and protect their rights”, She maintained. The Conference Coordinator of Radiance SL informed the schools that competed were the Harvesters International Academy from Waterloo, Community Initiative Academy from Kenema, and the Practicing School from Port Loko.
Giving his keynote address, the Resident Minister of the North West Region Ambassador Umaru Bun Wurie lauded the efforts of Radiance SL in empowering young girls, and for organizing such an event in Port Loko District. Ambassador Umaru Bun Wurie encouraged the girls present to stay in school, complete their studies and to take the change they want to see in their different communities. “My family and I are a testament that Education is a potent tool for empowerment, so I indulged you all to see education as a vehicle that will take you to a bright future,” the Resident Minister, North-West Region mentioned.
In her statement a representative from the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education Port Loko District, Gloria Akosua Sasu reiterated the work radiance is doing aligns with the Ministry’s radical inclusion policy, that promotes girl child education. Gloria thus admonished the girls to remain focused on their studies, and to avoid bad companies.
On their part, the participants thanked Radiance SL for creating such a platform for them to learn and to be aware of issues of GBV and other harmful practices that women and girls tend to face.
Harvesters International Academy from Waterloo, Community Initiative Academy from Kenema won the debate competition whiles Practicing School from Port Loko emerged winners for the quiz competition. Certificates were distributed afterwards to the participants in conference and additional certificates to the girls that competed in the debate and the quiz.
The Radiance SL 2024 annual Girls Empowerment Conference in Port Loko District was climaxed with a football match between the visiting girls from Kenema and Waterloo representing team NO TEANAGE PREGNANCY and the hosting girls from Port Loko District representing team NO EARLY MARRIAGE.
