Plan-Sierra Leone, an international humanitarian child centred community development organization, has celebrated its 30 years of existence in the northern town of Port Loko.
The Port Loko/Western Area programme manager, Mariama Zombo, used the occasion to give a brief background on the organization.
She said, “the Sierra Leone Chapter was established in 1976 and for 30 good years it has tried to help children of this country to realize their potentials”.
The Port Loko/ Western Area manager observed that, “40% of the population does not have access to safe drinking water, while children are often exposed to violence, exploitation, abuse and deprivation”.
She said Plan’s vision was to help children realize their full potentials in society; ensured their right to education; good health, as well as the right to participate on issues that concern them.
The Port Loko District Council chairman, J.B. Amara, Magistrate Joseph Amadu, the Inspector of Schools Mr Kanu and Rev Father Gbamaja of the Catholic Parish all made useful contributions in which they viewed Plan Sierra Leone as one of the effective NGOs in that district. They noted that the future of this nation would remain bleak if the present situation of children was not addressed.
They made special emphasis on corporal punishment, child trafficking and gender based violence; adding that children too needed to adhere to moral lessons.
The celebration was climaxed by a “creative contest” that took place at the new auditorium of the Port Loko Teachers’ College.
Thirty-four pupils won various prizes in painting, drawing, poetry and essay writing, while seven were named as star winners.
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