September 21, 2016 By Ibrahim Tarawallie
In a bid to get them back to school, Dream Maker Foundation-Sierra Leone has provided educational support materials to 100 vulnerable and out-of-school children residing in deprived communities in the Western Urban and Rural Areas.
The donation was made possible through financial support from Milla Group Sierra Leone Limited, Miral Health Care Limited, Nestpharm Limited, Kaifala, Kanneh & Co. Law Firm, Lawyer Mariama Dumbuya and Mrs. Abibatu M. Dumbuya.
During the presentation ceremony, Founder and Country Director, Moses Lamin Kamara, stated that the foundation, which commenced operation in 2015, embarking on educating children who reside in vulnerable communities about the deadly Ebola viral disease and also providing children orphaned by Ebola with quarterly food and psychosocial counseling supports.
He said with support from few Sierra Leonean companies and individuals, they have not only enrolled out-of-school children in schools but also supported one hundred of them with educational materials ranging from note books, pens, pencils, rulers, school bags, uniform and other essential learning materials.
He assured of his foundation’s strong commitment in ensuring that the beneficiaries turn-out to be responsible citizens and contribute to the country’s national development.
“Parents and caregivers must support their children by making sure that they are present in school and study regularly at home. We will stop the support to children who couldn’t make it to the next class at the end of the academic year,” he said.
In his keynote address, Chief Whip of Parliament, Hon. Claude Kamanda told parents that the foundation has played its own part by enrolling their children in schools and providing them with learning materials.
“Parents must ensure that their children study at home and always in school if only they want to benefit from the next support. I have come to realise that poverty cannot stop children from becoming lawyers, doctors, journalists, diplomats and accountants but can only prolong the time,” he said.
He said ineffective parental supervision destroys the dreams of children, thus admonishing the beneficiaries to be focused and spend most of their time with their books rather than watching Nigerian movies.