FDID-SL in Collarboration with US Embassy Engaged Youths Of Black Street (Stadium Car Park)
With a long standing bilateral relationship between Sierra Leone and the United State of America, the US has always kept to their fundamental principles of helping developing countries. Photo: The Political Affairs Officer of the US Embassy Joshua E. Stern, the Executive Director of FDID-SL, Hindowa E. Saidu and some unemployed youths)
In a bid to foster Good Governance and Peace Building FDID-SL a non-governmental organization currently working on drug prevention and demand reduction in collaboration with the American Embassy on the 27th of February engaged street youths in a hideout call Black Street in western part of the city.
Given the welcome address, the Communication and Outreach Officer of FDID-SL Mr. Edward N. Blake stressed the need for an urgent intervention as most of the country’s youths are now involved with one illicit drug or the other. This he said should be addressed so that this country will not slide into another violent conflict.
Highlighting the purpose of the visit and delivering a massage of hope and inspiration, the Executive Director of FDID-SL Mr. Hindowa E. Saidu implored on the youths that he was not strange to them and also the problems they face, but that their challenges are being channeled to the stake-holders and it is as a result of this he did not come alone, that this time he was there with a senior official of the united state Embassy. He said these people were there to see how best they can collaborate with FDID to look for possible solutions to their problems.
Making a statement and at the same time advising the youths on the dangers of taking drugs, the head of political affairs of the Embassy MR. Joshua E. Stern said if Sierra Leone is to change today, then the mind set of youths need to change and they should be engage in things that would bring both socio-political and economic change to their country. He lauded the effort of the president in making youth issue of paramount focus in his agenda for prosperity. He also assured the youths that the U.S. embassy will hold consultations with FDID in order to address the problems of the youths especially the once at Black street.
Most of the youths who spoke thanked the joint team from FDID and the United States Embassy for coming to visit them. They blamed the Government for not given them employment facilities. Most of these youths claimed to be drivers and indeed they produced their driving license, others said they were masonry, carpenters, auto mechanics, tailors etc. A clarion call was made by the head of black street to the authorities who are suppose to be addressing issues or challenges confronting the youths of Sierra Leone.
The occasion was climaxed by a question and answers session which left the youths with opening ears looking forward to agencies who can work with them to make them gainfully employed or send back to school those who are of school going ages.
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