The United Polio Brothers and Sisters Association in Freetown has on Friday July 10, 2020, called on the Government of Sierra Leone to provide them with equipment and a place which they could use as a vocational training centre where they could help improve their skills.
The Association’s supervisor, John Koroma, said that the association was established with the aim of helping to reduce the number of people living with disabilities begging in the streets.
Koroma said that, they do tailoring, gara-tie-dying, motor mechanics, panel beating and welding. He said that because they do not have business capital they had not been able produce enough furniture and other materials that would earn them money.
“We don’t only cater for the disabled, but also the able people, vulnerable people and those that had sat to their BECE and WASSCE, but they don’t have the chance to further their learning. We believed that by facilitating them to acquire such skills, they would be able to contribute to national development,” he said
“We have the ideas and knowledge but we don’t have the materials. We have only one machine for the tailors, one grinding machine for the welders. The carpenters and the other departments don’t have any materials which can ensure the effectiveness of their works.”
He said that, they are training over 50 people, adding that over one thousand people living with disabilities used to survive on the vocational centre.
He said, “We have decided not to be in the street as beggars anymore, so we have tried to have this vocational centre but it is not enough for us as compared to our numbers. We are appealing to the government and other humanitarian bodies to help us with another vocational centres and equipment.”
By Ibrahim S.Bangura
16/07/2020. ISSUE NO: 7867