Ambassador Owen Commissions New Primary School, Health Center, and Other Projects in Sierra Leone
FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE – In two of his last provincial trips in Sierra Leone, outgoing United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone Michael Owen visited Bombali, Koinadugu, Tonkolili, and Kambia districts to inspect and commission five new projects supported by the Ambassador’s Special Self Help (SSH) program. (Photo: Amb. Owen with Pupils of Michael Memorial Wesleyian Primary School)
Ambassador Owen attended a school renaming ceremony in Kabomboh Village in Bombali District on July 15. The new Ambassador Michael Owen Memorial Primary School was given a $5,590 SSH grant in 2012 for construction materials, transportation, skilled labor, and a sign post. The Embassy gave the grant to the Kabombo Descendants Association to reconstruct the community primary school after the former one had been destroyed by a storm. In appreciation of his support, the community decided to name the new school after the ambassador. Speaking with Kabomboh villagers at the event, Ambassador Owen commended the strong resolve of the community members to lift themselves out of poverty by investing in their children’s education.
Ambassador Owen also commissioned a health center at Badala, Koinadugu District, which received $15,678 in SSH funds. Ambassador Owen expressed optimism that the new center will reduce the constraints the community faced to access basic health facilities because of the poor conditions of the road. The current structure replaces a single room center that was constructed with contributions from local farmers. Ambassador Owen also commissioned drying floor and water well projects in Tonkolili District.
Ambassador Owen and entourage at River Rokel
Additionally, Ambassador Owen visited the source of the Rokel River in Koinadugu District during his trip up north – the first U.S. ambassador to do so.
On August 1, Ambassador Owen commissioned the upgraded Mhorikhanu Secondary School (MSS) in Kychom, Kambia District. A Peace Corps Volunteer in partnership with the Kychom community led the project to switch from wooden desks and chairs in classrooms to metal so that the furniture would last longer.
Ambassador Owen crowned Paramount Chief
While in Kychom, the paramount chief of Kychom in Kambia District crowned Ambassador Owen “Pa Kumrabai Mhorikhanu Michael.”
The SSH program funds small development activities that generate public awareness of U.S. foreign assistance efforts, but that fall outside the structure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) projects. The program is intended to be flexible and allows the ambassador to respond quickly and directly to requests for assistance with small community projects that have immediate impact. The program is structured to encourage communities to be self-reliant and undertake similar activities on their own in the future.
Embassy of the United States of America, Freetown
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