By: Problyn J. Alpha
SEND Sierra Leone with support from UNDP under its project promoting employment opportunities for women and men in Kono District or local development has organized a day experience sharing training at the Samaquidu community in Kamara Chiefdom, Kono District.
Addressing participants of the said experience-sharing training session the monitoring and evaluation manager of SEND Sierra Leone Aminata Akiratu Kamara maintained that the session was one of the activities of the aforementioned project in SEND Sierra Leone operational areas in Kono District.
She said the Samaquidu community through the help of the UNDP has been supported with a rice mill machine noting as a very innovative community Samaquidu haven received the said rice mill machine; the facility management committee constructed a shelter for the machine over time the committee have supported less privileged school going children, facilitated the operation of sick children among many others.
She adds that as a result other community people especially the would-be facility management committee members from Gbense and Soa chiefdoms were brought together to learn from the good examples of the Samaquidu facility management committee members in terms of using the rice mill machine.
“I advise participants from Soa and Gbense chiefdoms in Kono district to treat the experience sharing training with the seriousness it deserves as plans are afoot by SEND Sierra Leone with support from the UNDP to provide similar rice-mill machine for them. So I expect you the participants to learn how to operate the said machine and how it has benefited the facility management committee and its communities,” Madam Kamara admonished.
She expressed delight in the performance of the FMC members about the proper use and management of the rice mill machine. She intimated that the objective of the aforementioned project is to build human security development.
According to the monitoring and evaluation manager of SEND Sierra Leone, the expected outcome of the training is as follows; the participants bring out sustainability plans for the single machine to stand the test of time and how to get another machine aside from what was donated SEND Sierra Leone.
On behalf of their colleague participants Hassan Bangura, Abu Koteyor and Sia Rita Bonzu thanked SEND Sierra Leone for organizing the experience-sharing training and promised that the training knowledge gained will be used for the best handling of the rice-mill machine when received. They commended members of the Samaquidu facility management committee for the love and unity displayed during their operations.
Meanwhile, the presentation of a map outlining the beneficiary communities of the rice mill machine at the Samaquidu community by the deputy town chief of Samaquidu who also doubles as the principal of Evangelical International Junior Secondary School Kai R. Yamba climaxed the one-day experience of sharing training.
