With support from Finn Church Aid (FCA), Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) through their livelihood projects have been able to change the lives of 60 young girls who have successfully gone through their one year course in Catering and Tailoring.
The certification ceremony took place at their Makama campus on Tuesday 14th February 2012 in Makeni. The ceremony drew the attention of the Education Minister, Director of NCTVA, FAWE members and other stakeholders.
Chairperson of the occasion Madam Sunkarie Kabba Kamara described the occasion as a mile stone in the lives of young girls who for quite some time have been in the street. She said those girls in the past faced a lot of challenges but with FAWE skills training, they are now empowered.
Madam Sunkarie Kabba Kamara said FAWE has played a great role in developing young girls by creating an enabling environment that gears toward elevating the standards of young girls.
The chairperson appealed to grandaunts to make use of skills gained from training which will serve as pointer to their colleagues to come into FAWE livelihood training center. She pleaded with Finn Church Aid to continue to support FAWE.
In his keynote statement Education Minister thanked FAWE and FCA for training young girls who have chosen to develop themselves. Mr. Minkailu Bah described FAWE as a women focused group that is engaged in elevating not only their lives but that of their families.
The Education Minister noted that FAWE will not have come this far without the materials and financial support from FCA. He thanked FCA for their valuable contribution toward improving the lives of young girls in the country.
Minister Minkailu Bah said, “training of young girls with start-up kits after graduation is really capital intensive and it is from this back drop that on behalf of my ministry, we are thanking both FCA and FAWE for their initiative,” he mentioned.
“Though our government put more emphasize on girl child education we are also working hard to empower youth so that they will not over power our government,” he concluded.
The Education Minister pledged government’s commitment in supporting FAWE and called on graduates to make good use of the training and start up kits.
The National Coordinator of FAWE Eileen Hanciles said their organization has been in operation for quite some time until in 2007 when Finn Church Aid came to assist them. The program under FCA supports she said started with 75 young girls each in Kabala and Makeni.
The National coordinator said, “Every year after our training Finn Church Aid gives start up kits to our grandaunts which make our program very standard and unique,” she mentioned.
Madam Eileen Hanciles said most of their grandaunts are gainfully employed by Wusum Hotel, African Minerals, ADDAX and other sectors which according to her have demonstrated the quality training they undergo.
Program Director Finn Church Aid Kofi Ayisa from Liberia thanked the graduates for going through the one year training and called on them to make good use of their certificates.
Mr. Kofi Ayisa said, “your certificates are nothing if you can’t create an impact into your lives. The training is aimed at producing quality people who can go into the World and make positive changes in their lives,” he noted.
Finn Church Aid Program Director pledged their continued supports and willingness to support FAWE and other organizations that are focused in development.
Director NCTVA Mohamed A. Jalloh thanked FCA and FAWE for their timely intervention in supporting the girls. He said some of the girls have come from a very bad past taking into consideration their status.
Mr. Mohamed A. Jalloh described FAWE as a gender sensitive group with the zeal to empower women and young girls. He pledged his organizations support to FAWE.
By Mohamed Kabba
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