October 27, 2015 By Ibrahim Tarawallie
One of the country’s leading insurance companies, Reliance Insurance Trust Cooperation (RITCORP), has donated the sum of Le50 million to Street Child of Sierra Leone as part of its contribution to addressing the education and social plights faced by children orphaned by the deadly Ebola viral disease.
Handing over the cheque, RITCORP Managing Director, Mrs. Alice Onomake said: “We decided to make this donation not because it is part of our corporate social responsibility but on the sole ground that we believe in the work of Street Child.”
She stated that her company has been operating in the country for some 30 years now and that the donation came from a thanksgiving service held in Freetown.
According to her, the organisation was selected because RITCORP is of the strongest view that they are one of the country’s most credible non-governmental organisations that is embarking on sustainable transformation, thereby transforming children living permanently on the street and teenage girls engaging on transactional sex activities.
Receiving the cheque, Street Child Country Director, Emmanuel Kelfa Kargbo, commended RITCORP for their support and revealed that his organisation commenced operation in the country in 2008 in Makeni, working with one hundred children that were permanently living on the street without any adult supervision to transform them to responsible citizens.
He disclosed that they are currently constructing about 50 schools across the country (of which 20 have been completed), and providing education support to thousands of children orphaned by Ebola and street children, adding that they are also supporting their parents with business grants.
“We are currently paying the distance university fees and giving remuneration to more than four hundred children with the aim of creating effective teaching and learning in deplorable communities in the country,” he said. “We are also trying our best to provide basic education and social items for these children, but cannot address their plights holistically.”
Mr. Kargbo called on government and humanitarian persons to assist children orphaned by Ebola because they (Street Child) cannot do it all by themselves.