The Sierra Leone Ex-Servicemen Wives Association was on Friday 18th January 2019 officially launched at the Shangri La entertainment complex in Aberdeen. The objective of the organisation, according to Bintu Carter Tarawalie, Grand President of the association, is to address critical issues that affect families of ex-servicemen. Tarawalie pointed out the deplorable condition of the lives of the Sierra Leone military heroes and their relatives. She said, “SLEMWA, as a registered company, was established in 2018 to serve as a medium where the concerns of, ex-servicemen and their families would be shared and meaningful solutions suggested.” “Extreme financial and domestic difficulties especially among war wounded ex-servicemen, high rate of school drop-out among children of ex-servicemen,” she said, “…are some of the major challenges that SLEMWA intends to address. SLEMWA will strive to create employment opportunities for retired military officers, provide medical assistance to ex-servicemen and their families, offer scholarships and create business and entrepreneurship opportunities for wives and children of ex-servicemen. Hannah Mallam, president, MAWOPNET, Sierra Leone chapter, noted the need for collaboration among members as a way forward to achieve the goals of the organisation. She said the initiative is a tool to develop the livelihood of the target group. Mallam noted that such a drive will help the families of ex-servicemen live a meaningful live and contribute positively to the socio-economic development of the country. Committing the Ministry of Defence to support the work towards the achievement of the objective of SLEMWA, Colonel Abubarkarr Conteh, representative of the Deputy Minister of Defence spoke on the need to enhance the capacity of female relatives of ex-servicemen. Colonel Conteh said education is a critical tool for positive transformation and encouraged the gathering to urge their children to acquire education. Fatmata Nannah Kargbo, President, SLEMWA, Sierra Leone chapter, spoke on the several aid support that the organisation has been offering in terms of education to children of ex-servicemen.
SV/18/1/19
By Sylvia Villa
Monday January 21, 2019.