November 15, 2021
BY PROBLYN J. ALPHA
Through the intervention and support of partners n Health (PIH) in Koidu City Kono District at least nine (9) people who have recovered from mental illness in Kono District have finally graduated in Tailoring after a six month training from the Kono Musu Skill training centre in Koidu City.
According to the mental health programme manager for Partners In Health Doctor Gonani Chenjeza it is a Physician Social rehabilitation programme that is meant to integrate people suffering from mental illness after being stabilize and supported to go back to their communities and be productive again.
He added that through this initiative, they sourced some funds which enabled them to support nine people to acquire tailoring skills and as well provide start -up kits for them at the end of the training to start a productive life not only for a mental wellbeing or financial independence but to also contribute positively in the community which they live.
He further intimated A-Z that some of the grandaunts were homeless wandering with mental illness whilst in their home after being sick for a long time.
”After being stabilized we looked at their vulnerability because they were once pushed away marginalised and not even participating in any community activities, so this is one way of integrating them back to their communities and make them become useful citizens again” Doctor Chenjezo stated.
When talking on the sustainability of the machines giving to the grandaunts as a start-up kits, Dr. Chenjeza explained that they are going to accompany them to tailoring shops where they can be thoroughly monitored and ensure they are integrated slowly and to prevent what they experience during the Ebola crises where they gave start up kits to some of their patient who ended up selling them but for these grandaunts he said they are going seriously monitor them.
Speaking on behalf of Partners In Health, the community based programme office PIH Sierra Leone Kumba Tekuyama explained that the organization was established in 1987 after Paul Farmer , Ofelia and other people came and formed Partners In Health that is presently operating in eleven Countries in the world including Sierra Leone that dose not only provide medication for Partners , but its also believes in improving the social aspect of patient welfare.
She added that partners in Health came to Sierra Leone in 2014 to assist the Government to Fight against the Ebola Virus disease in the Country.
She further intimated that, after the Ebola fight the organization thought it prudent to improve the poor Health system in the Country.
This decision taken by the organization according to her has resulted to the establishment of the mental Health, NCD CHW, maternal department among other benefits that Kono District has received adding that Kono District in terms of good health care in the entire nation is leading the table which is a very big blessing for the District.
“From the establishment of the organization in the Country and Kono to be specific, we have being integrating our partners back to their communities from 2014 to date. The organization does not discriminate no matter your condition or status in the community. We provide equal opportunity to all”, she concluded.
Speaking on behalf of the Kono Musu Skills Training centre in Kono, Josephine Bundu one of the mothers at the above named organization expressed profound thanks and appreciation to Doctor Chenjeza and team for their good job in the district for restoring the glory of the young people who were marginalized and pushed far away from the community because of mental problem.
He also thanked the entire membership of Kono Musu for training the nine people who were given to them by Partners in Health.
He said he thought it was a bit challenging, but they stood the test of time and provided the necessary training for them within a period of six months.
She craved on the indulgence of the trainees to make good use of the golden opportunities and use the machines and other things for their intended purposes instead of selling the items.
In his statement, Pa. Sesay one of the parents whose three children were mentally sick, described the coming of PIH to Kono as a blessing from God Almighty, adding that PIH has greatly improved the health sector in Kono.
”I would have being dead by now hadn’t being the help of PIH because there was a time when my three children conspired to kill me, but if am now seen one of them in a graduation gown it’s a happiness in my heart that I cannot express but I must thank God and PIH for their interventions”, he said.
When speaking on behalf of his Colleague students ,the class rep. Fallah Tengbehsa registered his sincere thanks and appreciation to PIH for taken them from the world of madness to the world of sensitivity and consciousness.