PaRD-SL Supports Ebola Sensitisation Campaign in Bombali
Partners in Relief and Development, Sierra Leone (PaRD-SL) a leading Non- Governmental Organisation have recently provided support to the people of Sanda Loko and Sella Limba chiefdoms in the Bombali District on initiatives that promote Ebola prevention and control with internally generated funds. PaRD –SL Director Mahmoud Kargbo standing while making a presentation towards Ebola fight in Bombali District
The NGO has been closely working with the Government of Sierra Leone and development partners focusing on food and cash crop production, processing, entrepreneurship development, packaging and marketing targeting deprived rural communities in a bid to alleviate poverty.
PaRD –SL engaged and supported Traditional leaders, including paramount chiefs, section chiefs, women’s leaders, youths, health workers, commercial bike riders and councillors with basic Ebola prevention and control measures.
Funds for the Ebola sensitization campaign was internally generated from staff salaries during the past three months, the development -oriented Director of PaRD-SL Mahmoud Kargbo said
Monies for the Ebola sensitization and procurement of the necessary logistics was voluntarily raised by staff of PaRD-Sierra Leone as part of their contribution towards the Ebola fight.
Speaking at the series of sensitization meetings held at Sanda and Sella Limba Chiefdoms in the Bombali District where the NGO operates among other districts across the country the director of PaRD, Mr. Mahmoud B. Kargbo gave a brief history of PaRD, as an NGO that has existed for over thirteen years old.
He said due to the Ebola virus there was maximum precaution, such that sitting accommodations were placed separately, so that no one touches anyone,
As a concerned organisation, the director went on, PaRD feels obliged to come ‘home’ to its cradle in times of need like the Ebola crisis.
He said the formation of PaRD by Hon. M.P. Thomas B. Turay (constituency 035) in those years was to response to alleviate poverty and suffering of the people.
The Director added that it is no accident that PaRD is continuing yet again to respond positively to the needs of the people such as in this Ebola crisis.
One of the key purposes of the visit, the director went on, was to give support to the Ebola task forces formed in the two chiefdoms.
The Director of PaRD-SL, Mr. Mahmoud B. Kargbo said his NGO is providing support, in the form of 80 veronica plastic buckets, detergents, T-shirts, banners, posters, recorded jingles in local languages and the sum of Le 750,000 ( for both chiefdoms) as fuel support for motor bikes of the Ebola task forces executives in the two chiefdoms.
He explained that PaRD-SL had originally planned to offer more to these chiefdoms but circumstances in Makari Gbanti and Bombali Shebora chiefdoms, where the Ebola crisis is unarguably more serious had obliged the organisation to make similar gestures to the DHMT at the primary health care in Makeni, where they presented 20 veronica buckets and accessories and a cash donation of Le 1,000,000.
The fund for these offers were internally generated by the organisation and from staff contributions, and neither donor nor government fund, he pointed out.
Mr. Kargbo maintained that all the efforts of the President, H.E. Ernest Koroma for the past years may run down the drains, as Ebola is a threat to all facets of our development he said.
The second purpose of the visit was to present to the two chiefdoms a new agriculture project which Cordaid Netherlands had recently funded.
Stakeholders in Bombali District and PaRD staff handing over the donated items to fight against Ebola
Speaking on some of the negative impacts of Ebola to listeners in Kamalo and Kamakwie the Director of PaRD-SL attributed the sporadic spread of the disease to the early misconceptions and disbeliefs people had about the veracity of the disease.
Chiefs and elders in both chiefdoms expressed gratitude to PaRD for the gesture which they said has a genuine intention.
They disclosed that members of the task forces have already been deployed in communities bothering other chiefdoms.
The paramount chief of Sella Limba chiefdom PC Kandeh Luseni 111on behalf of his chiefdom expressed profound thanks and appreciation to PaRD-SL for closely working with the chiefdom during this difficult period of Ebola in the country.
The paramount chief of also emphasised that they are sure to keep the Ebola virus at bay, adding, ‘if Koinadugu can do it, why can’t we?’ the chief concluded.
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