World Vision rescues Blama Gbanie fire victims in Sierra Leone

World Vision Sierra Leone one the leading child welfare non-organisations in the country has recently rescued fire victims of  Blama Gbanie in the Bumpeh Chiefdom Bo District.  (Photo: Some of the donated items)

The village of 33 houses was gutted by a fire outbreak in January 2013 that left 11 houses in the middle of the village burnt to ashes destroying properties worth millions of Leones.

 The inferno that broke out exactly while the village people were about to return from their farms in the evening engulfed all the personal property of the owners and even their children.

World Vision in their strive to help the poor and the needy in the country donated household and livelihood planting materials, learning and hygiene materials, construction  materials and a hand pump.

The donated items included 66 bags of household materials, 11 items of building materials, 23 places of education and hygiene promotion materials to support children and six bags of fertilizer to boost the livelihood of farmers.

Joseph K Kposowa Principal Bumpeh High School and Chairman of the occasion said that “today is not the same as when we first came here.” On that first day of their coming, he said all the women around were “tight-lipped” unlike today where in the “women are dancing.” But the venture he told would not gain credence if “we do not support what World Vision is doing today.”

Sheku T Sovula the Chief of the Village encouraged beneficiaries to embrace World Vision Sierra Leone adding “Let us put hands under those giving us help.”

World Vision Sierra Leone Base Manager in Bo Momoh Juana summarized the whole day as “bitter-sweet.” His Non Governmental Organization he said works based on Development, Advocacy and Emergency and Relief and was moved by the harrowing pictures of the incident of the fire burning in the village.

He stated that the interest of children “comes paramount to us.” And this he noted was the reason World Vision was intervening.

He cautioned beneficiaries of the donation to ensure that they observe good building rules when constructing their houses, kitchens and toilets, “You have to put procedures in place to prevent fire accidents in the future,” World Vision Sierra Leone Base Manager in Bo Momoh Juana said.

Paramount Chief Joseph Tommy Kposowa while receiving the donation on behalf of his subjects expressed thanks and appreciation to World Vision for their timely intervention in helping the needy.

He also said that his subjects must use the donation as intended. “Things must be treated as intended. World Vision, has provided the materials and you need to do the building,” he said.

The people he said should adopt “spatial building as this village will not develop.” And the development of the village he said was on “each and every person in this village.”

Representing the Office of National Security Sahr Mafindoh also said that fire was not the only threat to security but also Cholera. But to avert another fire outbreak in the villages, he opined that there was need to “teach each other on the prevention of another fire outbreak.” And to go about this he expressed that there was need to have “ONS Management Committees in every chiefdom.”

Bo District Council Councilor Margerette Dendeh maintained that “development rests on us all.” She challenged all and sundry that “3 months from now Blama will change.” Martin Goba, Bo District Council Deputy Chairman stated that “you offer what you have.” His council he said was happy over the donation from World Vision as it complements the efforts of the Government of Sierra Leone.

World Vision Sierra Leone is a child welfare non-governmental organisation that focuses on the empowerment and development of deprived communities in the country.

Saidu Bah

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One of the burnt houses

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