October 24, 2020 (232News)
FREETOWN – Programme for Christians and Muslims Relations in Africa (PROCMURA) has held a one-day seminar for girls at the Council for Churches Hall Kinghaman Road in Freetown. The seminar was to marl the day of the Girl Child which was on 11th October 2020. The seminar with this year’s theme Our Voices, Our Equal Rights attracted about a hundred girls aged between 12 and 18.
PROCMURA Country Coordinator Rev. Bernardette Massaquoi said that the organization has taken the opportunity this year to engage the girl child so that they will be able to discuss their issues and expectations from society. She called on the girls to recognize not only their rights but also their responsibilities. She appealed to them to concentrate on their education as all worldly goodies will come later in life. She pointed out that even though PROCMURA deals with Christian and Muslim relations they are also concerned about policing development. She pointed out that girls are part of the society which was why they had chosen to celebrate with the girls and call on decision makers to discourage the stereotypes that have been associated with the girl child. She lamented over the plight of the girl child that hinders her self system to the point that they think less important than their boys counterparts.
On her part the Rev Sutton-Koroma said that there is no better time than at the early age that the girl child must be able to know their roles in society. She said society will not grow if the girl child is not properly groomed at the early age. “Learning starts from the home, especially from the mother. From the time of birth through breastfeeding to the point that she starts experiencing first hand whats going on in her society and her surroundings,” Rev Sutton Koroma said. She said that the girl child plays a pivotal role in the society but if the society does not give her the opportunity how then could she be able to play that role, she said. “Society will surely fail if it is unable to groom the girl child who brings greater development.
Representing the Ministry of Primary and Basic Education, Mr. Bangura called on the girls to take their studies seriously and encouraged them to raise their voices so that their voices could be heard in all facets of society. He said the government has instituted the Free Quality Education so that no child would be left behind especially the girl child as far as education is concerned.
Earlier, welcoming the participants to the Council of Churches Sierra Leone, the General Secretary of council Mrs. Ebun James-Dekam said that one of the core values of the CCSL is stewardship where they acknowledge responsibility for all God’s creation as gift and that the girl child is a gift from God. She called on the girls to be God fearing and law abiding and utitilise their God given talents thankfully and efficiently to the glory of God.
Giving the vote of thanks, a girl child participant, Christy Webber thanked PROCMURA for what she called a laudable venture. She said the seminar is an eye opener for the girl child and promised that all that they had learnt would be put into practice.
