By: Aruna Kamara (BO)
Center for Advocacy and Community Empowerment(CASE) Sierra Leone has engaged residents of Komende Junction Community in several exercises including human rights and to enable them to reflect that their community has the resources required to achieve the desired change they want.
According to the Director of CASE Salone, those exercises positioned the community to realize where they are and how they would love to see their community in years to come, adding that ‘’ as a result, the community presented their vision; emphasizing their short, medium and long term goal.
Madam Rassie Bah said that “the training workshop further looked at issues such as human rights, gender roles, and responsibilities of members of the community.”
She pointed out that, the community appreciated the effort of CASE SALONE for making them reflect on issues affecting their well-being.
Community stakeholders said that “We thought human rights was a white man’s principle, primarily designed to raise our women and children against us, but this workshop has taught me that the first charter of human rights was adopted in Africa. And human rights is not just a principle but a moral standard that ensures dignity for all human beings, regardless of one’s social status” one posited.’’
The community women said that “when the issue of gender roles was triggered for discussion through an exercise called value game. They admitted to having learned that gender was more or less a social construct; that what men and boys can do, women and girls can do even better.”
“I disagree with the man that says women can’t climb palm trees. I can climb palm trees and brush farms; this has nothing to do with our gender. It is just that there is a law in this community that prohibits women from climbing palm trees”, an elderly woman, Miatta John lamented.
CASE SALONE noted from this conversation that such restrictions/cultural practices and traditional beliefs are mainly responsible for the deplorable condition of women and girls, as they tend breeding domestic violence.
To ensure effective and efficient work with the community, a committee was formed to steer the development agenda of their community, a form of building trust and community ownership of their development.
To set the record straight, the Program Manager of CASE SALONE informed the community about the role of CASE SALONE; emphasizing the need for the community to embrace togetherness and work to transform their community.
In another development, the Centre for Advocacy and Sustainable Empowerment CASE-SL has engaged registered members of the Bambawi Programme. “BAMBAWI” is one of the Organization Programmes to empower women through financial support.
The purpose of the meeting was to have an executive formed. The executive will serve as an intermediary between CASE-SL and members of the Programme. The executive will also help members to take ownership of the Programme. It is also a training ground for practical leadership roles for women.
At the climax of the occasion, the following were appointed to serve as shown below: Memunatu Barrie, Coordinator, Jeneba Kemokai, PRO 1, Zainab Nallo, PRO 2, Marie Donso, secretary 1 and
Mariatu Vonu, secretary 2.
In making her statement, Memunatu Barrie (the Coordinator) expressed appreciation and stated that she would work with her team to make “Bambawi” Successful.
Also, The Executive Director of the Center for Advocacy and Sustainable Empowerment CASE -SALONE on Tuesday 27 September 2022 Attended the Monthly GBV and Child Welfare Coordination Meeting with other partners at the Ministry of Social welfare.
The purpose of the meeting was to have updates from partners and plan for the Girl Child day celebration on October 11/12 2022 and 16 the Days of Activism respectively. The Bo branch coordinator for SALONE ADOLESCENT GIRLS NETWORK who happens to be the Director for CASE SALONE with those present gave an update from SAGN and agreed to have the joint programs organize a SUMMIT for Girls in Bo on the above-agreed dates.
The Executive Director of CASE-SALONE gave her an update on behalf of CASE SALONE and other partners also follow suit. During the engagement, partners agreed to have joint programs and take ownership of it collectively.
A committee was set to have another meeting next week Tuesday at the Ministry’s office in Bo for further deliberations.