September 13, 2021
The Sierra Leone Swimming, Diving and Water Polo Association(SLSDWPA) has on the 10th September 2021 awarded the sum of five hundred thousand Leones (Le 500,000) each to 13 school going swimmers. The presentation was done in their Secretariat at the Siaka Stevens Stadium in Freetown.
Speaking during the ceremony the Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Swimming, Diving and Water Polo Association, Mr. Mohamed Abdul Turay, said the funds they are using to support the swimming athletes comes from the International Swimming Federation (FINA) under the Olympic Assistance Support Project (OASP).
He further stated they advocated for support for ten (10) swimmers to the International Swimming Federation, but they discovered that some of the swimmers are going to take West Africa Senior Schools Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) and because they are all part of the swimming family, they decided to consider them for the educational support. Thirteen (13) swimmers received the sum of five hundred thousand Leones (Le 500,000) each.
He explained that an additional three (3) that will be taking the private WASSCE will be added to the list and that they will there support them in due course, making the total to sixteen swimmers.
Before presenting the cash to the swimmers, the Treasurer of the SLSDWA, Mr Philip M. Bangura advised the swimmers to be serious with their schoolwork citing that they are not just here to swim but their education counts a lot and advised them to be progressive in academic work. “You will only get this support next year if you proceed to the next class”, he concluded.
“I am now in SS3 at the Prince of Wales School, and I was thinking how my parents will be able to raise funds to buy school materials for this new academic year under these difficult times, this support will go a great way in solving some of these issues” Joseph Lamin Kargbo, a male swimmer, explained.
Zainab Eva Turay, attending St. Joseph’s Secondary School also expressed great joy as she said she is now in JSS3 and will be sitting to the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) this year. She further encouraged her colleague swimmers to use the funds for their intended purpose. These is not the first time the association has been helping the Swimmers that are School going pupils.