By George M.O. Williams
The Christian Aid Delegation on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, embarked on a day visitation to their project site in Kpanga – Krim Chiefdom in Pujehun district.
The delegation also engaged stakeholders in Pujehun District Council.
At the Kpanga – Krim Chiefdom, Christian Aid provided financial support to the Rehabilitation and Development Agency (RADA) that had implemented several projects in the village that primarily focus on women and girls in the Chiefdom. Some of the projects include the Health Legacy Project, the Volunteer Loan Savings Scheme and training of community women for sustainable livelihood project.
Community members, especially women were trained on how to develop action plans after every town hall meetings they held , those action plans served as a guide on how to manage their resources by incorporating ideas that will benefit everyone.
Through the Volunteer Loan Saving Scheme, community people who want to serve as agent for Orange Money are given the opportunity to loan money .
They derived money from the Loan Scheme through their monthly contribution deposited in a box under lock and key which is placed under the supervision of a member.
In his remark, the Chairman Board of Trustees of Christian Aid, Bishop Dr. John Sentamu, said that the projects have impacted lives of women and girls. He urged men to create their own space on things that will also benefits them.
Chief Executive Officer of Christian Aid, Patrick Watts said that since Christian Aid Sierra Leone Chapter was established in 1988, they had an objective to support women and girls and to tackle the root causes of poverty in the country.
The Executive Director of RADA, Augustine Robbinson said that all the projects that RADA had undertaken in the gistrict were implemented with the objective to reduce the challenges women face by finding sustainable solutions to their sufferings.
He said that the Volunteer Loan Saving Scheme emanated from the Health Legacy Project, having realized that women find it difficult to access health services due to lack of resources they then structured the scheme where women could now loan money and later repay.
He said that at some point many women were unable to attend prenatal and antenatal clinic because their male partners cannot afford transportation, so the Health Legacy Project was successful in addressing this challenge.
The Secretary to the Volunteer Loan Scheme Box, Princess Smart, said the project of Christian Aid brought unity among the people in the chiefdom, adding that they are proud of the work RADA is doing in their community.
It should be noted that a delegation from Christian Aid comprising the Chief Executive Officer Patrick Watts, the Chairman Board of Trustees Bishop Dr. John Sentamu, and Director of International Programmes Ojobo Ode Atuluku were on a weeklong visit to Sierra Leone.