FDID engages Global Fund for Children:
As the global campaign for education hits the world in a bid to see “a world at school” by 2015, the Associate Coordinator for Africa Program of Global Fund for Children, Miss Pamela Pratt, is in Sierra Leone to interface with organisations like FDID to see how they can collaborate to assist vulnerable street involved children and youths. (Photo: A cross section of vulnerable children and their parents/guidance)
Foundation for Democratic Initiatives and Development has been on the spotlight most especially for their robust engagement with street unaccompanied children. On a one day work visit to Sawa grounds (Victoria Park) in Freetown, FDID on 1st of May 2014 engaged over sixty (60) street children in a bid to help them improve their lives.
The Director Hindowa E. Saidu explained the plight of these children to Miss Pamela Pratt of Global Fund for Children and employed on her organization to partner with FDID in order to help these children especially the girl children who are out in the streets or whose parents cannot afford to send them to school. FDID over the years have been engaging children and youths on good governance, rule of law, anti-drug campaign and educational programs. The Executive Director of FDID-SL, Chief Hindowa E. Saidu who led the team to Sewa grounds further pleaded with the Global Fund representative that education and alternative source of livelihood is still a major challenge for the children and youths in that community. Chief Saidu said exactly two years after FDID-SL was formed and with funds from partners, they have been able to support street and unaccompanied children with educational materials such as uniforms, books and tuition for a year. But one major challenge chief expressed was the sustainability of the project. This he said came as a result of lack of continuous funding, which ultimately led to most children returning to the streets.
Mr. Sanpha Koroma who coordinates the street children for FDID explained to the visitor that FDID has been working to improve the lives of street children and youths at the Victorial Park for close to five years now. He also implored on the visitor to work with FDID save the lives of these children as most of them are involved in risky behaviors like drug taking, petty crimes and commercial sex work activities in the central Business District of Freetown.
Miss Pamela Pratt commended FDID-SL for their good work and said there is a need for her organization (Global Fund for Children) to partner with FDID-SL in directly intervening in education. She held a one-on-one talk with the children and their parents on the importance of education and the need for children to stay in school.
FDID-SL
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