He Irish Embassy has unveiled the 2015/2016 Irish Aid Fellowship training programme for suitably qualified candidates from developing countries to undertake postgraduate studies at colleges and Universities in Ireland.
The programme, which started last year in Sierra Leone, was launched by the head of the Irish delegation, Mr. Niall Burgess, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for Ireland at the Embassy in Freetown.
The launching was climaxed with a dinner held in honor of the high-level delegation from Ireland and the UK who visited the Government’s programme for the education of pregnant adolescents.
The programme is one of the ways in which Irish Aid supports capacity development in its key partner countries in Africa, Asia and also in Palestine with the aim of supporting and enhancing the contribution beneficiaries can make to development efforts in their own countries.
Launching the fellowship programme, Mr. Burgess said those who had his first visit in Sierra Leone called it a great opportunity for the country coming back from the scourges of the EVD. He commended the good working relations and collaboration with partners and international agencies, though there are a lot of challenges to be tackled.
The Embassy in all these years, he said, had done marvellous job amidst the hustle and bustle during the outbreak by holding on to the fort.
The Irish Aid Fellowship programme, he continued, is designed to create professionals from outside the organizations, and also encouraged all and sundry to look at the programme and send in their nominations when the time for nominations comes.
The Irish Aid Fellowship Programme focal person, Mrs. Davida Macaulay said the program started last year and has become very successful, citing one of the successful fellows, Madam Jeelo Kainwo who had just completed the programme and came back from Ireland.
She urged partners and government ministries to encourage their colleagues and staff to come on board, reiterating the successfulness of the programme, adding also that it would be beneficial to all Sierra Leoneans with the opportunity to study in Ireland. ‘I know for sure that there are good Universities in Ireland.’
Explaining her experience, one of the fellows, Madam Jeelo Kainwo, on behalf of the others, appreciated the Irish Embassy and the Government of Ireland for according them such wonderful opportunity to study in Ireland.
She reiterated that it was a beautiful experience as she interacted and shared experiences with brilliant minds from different countries.
Looking at the program, she added, it would be prudent to encourage more Sierra Leoneans to apply in order to build the human resource which is pivotal for the development of the country. The Irish Aid program focuses on gender violence, nutrition, poverty reduction, among others, and these are key issues in Sierra Leone.
She disclosed also that in Ireland she was privileged to work at the Anti-Corruption institute where she used most of her expertise gained during the program., ‘It is not just about what you studied but also about the manner in which the course is being taught.’
Welcoming the delegates to the dinner, Irish Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Dr. Sinead Walsh highlighted some of the activities the Embassy had engaged in particularly so during the Ebola outbreak, and also lauded partners for working with the Embassy all these years.
Thursday November 19, 2015
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