The African Development Bank (AfDB) has visited the Don Bosco camp at During Town, Freetown peninsula to support them with food and other items to help them during this COVID-19 period on Thursday 4th February 2021.
Making the presentation, the Officer in Charge in Sierra Leone, Mrs. Felicitas Chi Cho Atanga, said they are happy to be at Don Bosco to make the donation because of the corona virus affecting the entire world.
She said the donation originated from the bank’s staff from across the world, as they all donated from their salaries to help out in their own little way.
“First and foremost we want to thank the Almighty God for protecting us as we are fortunate not to have any of our staff member affected by this virus; and that is one of the reason why we came together to see how we can help in our own little way to support vulnerable countries and institutions that need support in this challenging time.”
Mrs. Atanga said Sierra Leone was one of the lucky countries chosen to benefit from this support and after doing due diligence, they chose to support Don Bosco who has been on the frontline working with children and young ladies.
She said they want Don Bosco to continue to help the children and make them become effective in society, calling it the reason they are giving them so many items including food, sanitary products and medical supplies.
Receiving the items, the Deputy Director of Don Bosco, Rev. Fr. Segej Gorman, said they are happy to receive the items and will make sure that the children benefitted from them.
He said six months ago they moved to During Town where they have built a better facility with enough space to take care of the kids, adding that they have been receiving supplies from other organisations and support from international groups to make them realise their dream.
“We currently have 189 children in this centre and they are coming from the streets, from the flood, Ebola, prostitution and rejection from parents. All of these kids we make sure we bring them into the centre after making sure we have approval from their parents and Ministry of Social Welfare. We also do weeks of counselling before we bring them into the home. The reason is we want them to come on their own volition and when they come they would not regret and want to leave.”
Father Gorman averred that a few weeks ago 240 young people were reintegrated into society after they graduated in various skills; and already, 58 of them have secured jobs at various offices. He said all of them received start up kits to help them be independent.
He thanked the AfDB team and expressed their profound gratitude, as he said they have been visiting them since their time at Fort Street, and they believe this support would not be the last.
The Assistant Director, Mr. Samuel Bo John, reiterated that they are happy for the support as the number of children has increased and they have a serious transparency system to make sure that the children become important people in society.
“We have four dormitories here in During Town; two each for boys and girls, a school, another dormitory for the professional staff, a clinic, kitchen and small apartment blocks for flood victims. We have three boreholes and we pump 45,000 litres of water daily and the children are fed three times a day as well as attending schools within and the environs. We will soon put up a structure to make sure that all of the children will be able to go to school within the compound.”
Mrs. Atanga was there with Staff Counsellor Eva Taylor and Ella Nicol. The items donated include butter, sugar, rice, oil, palm oil, soap, saba, mosquito repellant, sanitary pads, pampers, medication, kitchen towels, buckets, hand sanitiser, Dettol, etc.
MB/5/2/2021
By mohamed.bah@awokonewspaper.sl