By Ibrahim Joenal Sesay
FREETOWN, June 24 (232News) – The Council of Churches Sierra Leone (CCSL) in partnership with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) in their Covid 19 Economic Recovery Response have presented food and nonfood items to vulnerable women, children at risk and fire affected victims. The donation was made at the CCSL hall on Friday 11th June 2021. The donated items included bags of rice, assorted food stuff including gallons of palm oil, salt. Maggi cubes, tomato paste etc. Over thirty households benefitted from the donation. Some of the women received donation in cash of Le400,000.00 (Four Hundred thousand Leones) each as startup kits to embark on small scale businesses while school going children received school bags, books, geometry sets, pairs of socks as well as pens and rulers and were also given Le100,000.00 (One Hundred thousand Leones) each meant to be towards the purchase of uniform and lunch.
In her welcome statement, the General Secretary of the CCSL Mrs. Kezia Kargbo expressed her sympathy to the affected persons, noting that the mission of CCSL is to show love. She gave an overview of the council pointing out that this year marks the council’s ninety ninth year. She said that the even though CCSL is a Christian organization yet it has no religious boundaries in its activities. She thanked the PDA for the support and confidence it has in CCSL in partnering with her organisation for such a venture and called on other well-meaning organisations to work with the CCSL to help humanity.
Mrs. Ebun James Dekam, the outgone General Secretary of CCSL who chaired the programme also expressed sympathy to the women and children present and thanked God that through it all, no life was lost. She challenged the women and children to be watchdogs in the community especially when it comes to monitoring illegalities like electricity extraction, hoarding of fuel, unregulated welding and leaving naked flames, like candles, unattended. She called on the Chief of Susan’s Bay to be a champion in enforcing safety guidelines in the community.
In her statement, the Vice President of the CCSL Madam Jane Godwin reiterated that the CCSL was built on love and love continues to be the core value of the CCSL. “CCSL does not discriminate whether one is Christian or Muslim, male or female, black or white,” she added. She also called on the Chief to be vigilant especially when it comes to illegal electricity connections noting that help will only come from the community people themselves. “Heaven helps those who help themselves,” she maintained. She encouraged the children to take advantage of the opportunity offered to them while admonishing parents to avoid sending their girl child to early marriage or secret societies while they are in school. “Girls are our jewels, we must handle them with care,’ she ended.
The PDA representative in Sierra Leone, also joined in expressing sympathy to the fire victims and went on to give an overview of the PDA. He informed that the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is a worldwide orrgaisation which is always there to assist wherever disaster happens. He pointed out that the donations come from drips of contributions within and without the organization and called on the women and children to thank God and make use of the donations in the best possible way. Testimonies from fire victims formed the highlight of the occasion before the donated items were handed over to recipients.
The women on their part heaped praises on the CCSL and partners for what they described as such a wonderful gesture. They disclosed that since the disaster, CCSL has been the only organization that has made a donation without any hassle compared to other organisations where they would have to line up for hours, and sometimes for days before they could get any form of relief. They praised the organizers and offered prayers for the leadership of CCSL and partners.
