Sierra Leone Health Initiative, (SLHI) a non-profit organisation has on Thursday boosted a hundred and twenty-five less privileged pupils by providing assorted educational materials and food package to two primary schools at the Thunder hill community in Kissy.
Rashid Conteh, coordinator and one of the founding members of the organisation told Awoko that the deliberate intervention to aid the said number of less privileged pupils is part of the organisation’s stride to improve and develop an effective health care system in Sierra Leone.
Mr Conteh went on to explain some of the constructive initiatives the organisation has undertaken since it was formed amid the ebola crisis stating that during the crisis the SLHI provided medical supplies in some communities within the country and pointed out some of the financial support the organisation has made to street children.
As healthcare professionals, Mr Conteh said, the aim of the organisation is to make a difference by creating an environment that benefits disadvantaged families adding that such objective can only be achieved through skills training and education which he described as the spring board which according to him is the reason why the SLHI has embarked on such activity.
Highlighting on some of the inputs the organisation has made towards national development, Mr Conteh re-echoes on the SLHI support during the ebola outbreak and some of the aids his organisation provided after the last year flooding incident.
”During the early stages of the ebola epidemic, a group of like- minded Sierra Leoneans based in the United States who strongly believed that health is the most important indicator for a nation’s development as well as a factor to maximise individual full potential came up with this initiative to provide educational opportunities and engage in promoting the lives and wellbeing of all Sierra Leoneans especially disadvantaged families” he added.
Mr Conteh registered his organisation’s commitments to provide quality educational and health support to other desperate communities and called on other Diasporas to replicate such laudable venture for the betterment of the country informing the public about SLHI support to do more in the future.
While lamenting on some of the challenges the SLHI is facing especially with regards to financing other pertinent projects, Mr Conteh further called on the government and other like-minded people within and outside to join the force in improving the health status of all Sierra Leonean and ensure life potentials are achieved.
Commending the efforts of the SLHI, teachers and pupils of the two beneficiary schools thanked the entire membership of the organisation for such valiant undertaking and assured the SLHI of their relentless determination to make effective utilisation of such gesture.
By Sylvia Villa
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