As everyone is now aware, the welfare of Sierra Leone’s Ebola Survivors is very key to H.E. President Koroma. When His Excellency describes them as heroes and heroines, he is speaking right from his heart. The Head of State is passionate about all his citizens affected by Ebola especially the Orphans and the survivors themselves.
The Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender & Children’s Affairs (MSWGCA) has a presidential mandate to ensure the health and wellbeing of all Ebola Survivors. This mandate is something that the ministry, under the leadership of Hon. Minister Dr. Sylvia Blyden, has been doing quite well in consonance with other MDAs and Donor Partners. For example, in the last one week, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of Ebola Survivors across Sierra Leone, have started benefitting from further cash transfers and new livelihood skills training support.
NINE PHOTOS ACCOMPANYING THIS PRESS RELEASE ARE OF HUNDREDS OF SURVIVORS RECEIVING CASH TRANSFERS IN KAILAHUN, MOYAMBA, TONKOLILI, KENEMA, BOMBALI, Etc. etc. DURING PAST ONE WEEK
Not only in Port Loko town which has a high number of Survivors but also in places as remote as Nieni up the hills of Koinadugu and villages of Kissi Chiefdoms in Kailahun, the ministry has been identifying and serving social services to survivors.
Survivors now have improved access to health care delivery regardless of the cause of their illness. For example, a 28 year old male Ebola Survivor was one of the youths who suffered bullet wounds during the recent youths fracas in Gbangbatoke, Moyamba. With the direct and very speedy intervention of Hon. Minister Blyden herself aided by her hardworking & dynamic team at the ministry, the affected survivor was able to benefit from totally free medical services to treat his bullet wounds. Although, his bullet wounds were not an Ebola-related condition, the young man enjoys the free health care and is still continuing his medical & surgical treatment for the two bullets that entered his body.
All of this is however just the beginning of a paced initiative to deliver social services, reintegrate survivors and positively transform their livelihood and life experiences.
It should be noted that the upcoming second phase of livelihood support for Ebola Survivors will cover Kambia, Kono, Pujehun and Bo districts as well as Western Urban & Western Rural areas. Bonthe district has no survivors resident there.
H.E. President Koroma’s priorities are firmed-up and crystal clear insofar as Ebola Survivors welfare are concerned. The President expects that the MSWGCA should work supremely hard to prioritize the welfare of Survivors and to publicise their needs to as wide an audience as possible.
In this regard, the Hon. Minister Dr. Sylvia Blyden and her Team are very proud and pleased to announce the arrival in Europe of Mr. Daddy Hassan Kamara, the National Spokesman & Ebola Orphans Coordinator of the Sierra Leone Association of Ebola Survivors (SLAES). He is starting his visit in Europe by attending the 73rd Session of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Following this, he is open to visit other European cities commencing with Brussels where our noble Ambassador, H.E. Ibrahim Sorie, though out of the jurisdiction for now, is arranging for Brussels embassy staff to welcome the Survivors spokesman.
The Honourable Minister’s Team is also pleased to announce the upcoming arrival of Mr. Yusuf Kabba, the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Ebola Survivors (SLAES) in the United States of America within the next few days.
Mr. Yusuf Kabba who is flying out of Sierra Leone early next week, is already slated to be in New York (UN General Assembly), Massachusetts (Harvard University), Washington DC (White House, State Department, USAID, NIH, Congress) and Atlanta (CDC).
The Sierra Leone Embassy to the United States under the noble leadership of H.E. Ambassador Bockarie Stevens, will provide fatherly oversight for the young but eloquent leader of the Sierra Leone Survivor Community.
The Ministry is aware that Sierra Leonean communities around Europe and in America might be interested to invite any of these two SLAES members to visit them and have a discussion with them during their time in Europe and the United States of America respectively.
We therefore wish to advise any entity who wishes to host the SLAES President in America or the SLAES Spokesman in Europe to please kindly contact the following persons so we can better coordinate such matters of priorities of H.E. President Koroma.
Mr. Saio Marah
Sector Lead – President’s Priorities
MSWGCA.
Tel/Whatsapp: +23276366701
Email: postebola@mswgca.gov.sl
Mr. Dennis Joseph Koroma
Officer In Charge
Comprehensive Package for Ebola Survivors
MSWGCA
Tel/Whatsapp: +23225367199
Email:
ebolasurvivors@mswgca.gov.sl
Mr. Dehungeh Shiaka
Initiative Owner
Survivors Welfare PDT Initiative
MSWGCA
Email:
dehungeshiaka@yahoo.co.uk
Friday September 16, 2016, Awoko
Ebola Recovery
Sierra Leone Life Coach 