September 29, 2017 By: Sahr Morris Jr.
Basita Michael, Sampson Fung & Battu Johnson giving out bags to pupils
Atlantic Lumley Hotel through its China-Hong Kong Transcend Educational Charity Foundation, on Thursday, September 28, commenced a major education enhancement drive by donating over Seventy Millions Leones (Le 70,000,000) worth of school items to pupils of the Aberdeen Municipal School.
The Aberdeen Municipal School is the first out of the already five schools in Freetown that has been identified by the Foundation to benefit from the donation of school bags, books and other stationary, and according to the hotel’s General Manager, Sampson Fung, schools in the provinces will also benefit from their kind move.
Manager Fung said their donation was intended to support pupils, teachers and parents as well, adding that it was one of their priorities to empower people especially the young lads.
“This is just the beginning. We have more than ten thousand bags and other items which we intend giving out in Freetown and the provinces,” he said,adding that the donation is also a fulfillment of their corporate social responsibility.
“We’ve also identified five other schools in Freetown that will benefit from similar donation and we will not only stop in Freetown but also schools in the provinces,” Fung confirmed.
Legal Representative, who also doubles as one of the Directors of the China-Hong Kong Transcend Educational Charity Foundation, Basita Michael, said the donation was also in line with the with President Ernest Bai Korom’s post Ebola recovery priority.
She said the Foundation is always there to come up with initiative to support and encourage children to not only go to school but to also ease the burden on parents at the early stage of school period in the country.
Michael said: “Today we give out a total of 650 bags plus other items which will help ease the burden on parents and encourage more pupils to school. We have over 10,000 more bags to be distributed to schools in the country.”
Battu Johnson, Principal of Aberdeen Municipal School said she was pleased to have received such donation, adding that it is not easy for parent to provide the kids with learning materials.
She said: “Children and parents would be pleased. It is difficult for some parents to provide such for their pupils.”
Mohamed Kamara, a class five pupil said he was happy to receive the bags and books, while other pupils and parents expressed similar sentiments.