By: Problyn J. Alpha
Residents of Bandafayie Community in Nimikoro Chiefdom, Kono District, have commended ActionAid Sierra Leone, through its local partner, ASJD, for interventions they say have improved education and strengthened women’s empowerment in the community.
The residents highlighted several interventions, including the construction of schools equipped with furniture, provision of educational and learning materials for children and adults, financial assistance to children from less privileged backgrounds, and the establishment of Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs).
According to the residents, the interventions have made a significant difference in the lives of families in Bandafayie, particularly by reducing some of the barriers that previously prevented children from accessing education.
Speaking to this medium, a resident of Bandafayie, Madam Fengai, said ActionAid’s interventions had transformed the lives of women by restoring their dignity and increasing their participation in community decision-making.
She explained that, before the interventions, women’s voices were rarely considered in community decision-making processes. However, she said ActionAid’s programmes had helped restore value and respect for women in the community.
Madam Fengai further disclosed that ActionAid had supported women and children to access education through the construction of schools, provision of furniture and learning materials, as well as financial assistance to children from less privileged backgrounds.
She said the organization’s educational support had also been extended to adults seeking education, adding that ActionAid had supported some female teachers in the community with university fees.
On the Village Savings and Loans Associations, Madam Fengai said the initiative had positively impacted the community by improving women’s ability to meet household and educational needs.
She maintained that, before the introduction of the VSLA groups, many women struggled to provide for their children. According to her, the initiative had helped women regain financial independence and contributed to improved relationships and peace in some homes.
She thanked ActionAid for its continued support and assured the organization that community members would make good use of the knowledge and skills acquired to sustain the VSLA groups.
She, however, appealed to ActionAid to consider providing the community with a rice milling machine to help address some of the challenges associated with rice production.
Meanwhile, ActionAid Sierra Leone Board Chairperson, Madam Pamela Augunade, said the purpose of the AGM members’ visit to Bandafayie and other beneficiary communities in Kono District was to engage directly with community members and gain first-hand knowledge of the impact of ActionAid’s interventions.
Madam Augunade said the engagement provided an opportunity for AGM members to compare beneficiaries’ experiences with reports received from ActionAid staff.
She said discussions with children in Bandafayie revealed that some children between the ages of 15 and 17 were more familiar with local mining terminologies and practices, as some accompany their parents to mining sites in search of livelihoods.
Madam Augunade noted, however, that children who had benefited from ActionAid’s educational support were now sharing testimonies about how the interventions had changed their lives.
She said the testimonies were consistent with reports received from ActionAid staff on the impact of the organization’s programmes in beneficiary communities.
To sustain the gains made through its interventions, Madam Augunade disclosed that ActionAid had developed a four-year plan, which is currently under review, to ensure that available funding is effectively managed and directed towards priority needs.
She added that challenges identified during the community engagements would be taken into consideration and discussed further, with plans being expedited to address some of the concerns raised.
She assured beneficiary communities that ActionAid would continue discussions on possible support and sustainability plans, noting that the interventions had created positive changes that community members greatly value.
One of the beneficiaries of ActionAid’s educational support, Ansu Sorie, also shared his personal experience with this medium.
He said that, before receiving support from ActionAid, he was unable to attend school because of financial difficulties.
He recalled feeling unhappy whenever he saw his peers going to school while he was asked to accompany others to mining sites.
According to him, ActionAid’s support restored his hope and enabled him to return to school.
He expressed appreciation to ActionAid for the assistance he received and appealed for the organization’s educational support to be extended to more children, particularly those who remain involved in mining activities in the community.
The experiences shared by residents and beneficiaries during the engagement provided a community-level account of the impact of ActionAid Sierra Leone’s interventions, while also informing discussions on the organization’s priorities and strategic direction through its Annual General Meeting process.