BY HASSAN JUANA KOROMA IN PUJEHUN.
Movement for Assistance and Promotion of Rural Communities (MAPCO)in collaboration with Muloma Women Development Association (MUWODA) which is one of the best-performing accountability and transparent local non-governmental organization operating in the country, has on Wednesday 13th December 2023 officially launched the recently received grants from European Union for the implementation of a project title ‘’Strengthening CSOs as Inclusive actors of good governance and development in Sierra Leone’’ with the project contract NDICI CSO/2022/439-792, which held at the Pujehun District Council hall Jah section in Pujehun.
The occasion attracted European Union officials, Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, MAPCO and MUWODA staff, Paramount Chiefs, Honourable Members of Parliament, Security Personnel, and the press.
In his welcome address, the Paramount Chief of Kpanga Chiefdom PC Andrew Ibrahim Jaiah Kaikai welcomed all for gracing the occasion. He described the grant as a blessing in disguise for Pujehun district. He lavished praises on the management of MAPCO and MUWODA for benefiting from the European Union Grant and prayed that God almighty would surely protect them for the implementation of the project. He therefore appealed to the Authorities of MAPCO to share papers with them in order to see the actualization and sustainability of the project implementation in the respective communities.
Addressing dignitaries at the Council hall, the Programme Manager of the Movement for Assistance and Promotion of Rural Communities (MAPCO) Abdul Karim Kamara, elucidated that the overall objective of the project is to contribute to the improvement of the livelihoods of residents of Pujehun District through support to civil society and local authorities for local development in Sierra Leone. He assured locals that the European Union did not doubt them all in the name of presenting a good result at the end of the day.
Mr. Kamara further called on the entire people of Pujehun District to support the project because the European Union has provided 90% of the project while the 10 % was to be provided by the people of Pujehun District. He admonished his staff and other implementing partners to be devoid of all forms of self-interest, but to put the vision and mission of the project above all to achieve it desirous results.
Kamara further disclosed that the organization is partnering with civil society organizations in the implementation of the project. He said the first phase of the project had already started and they are working with 30 CSOs including 20 CBOs, and youths association in eight rural chiefdoms namely (Barrie Kpaka, Pejeh, and Peri in the Pujehun District and Nongowa Lower Bambara, Kandu-Lekpiama and Malegohun Chiefdoms in the Kenema District respectively.
The Programme Manager assured that they would support women, youths, and persons with disabilities in governance and development processes. He reiterated that they would provide support to 30 CBOs to improve their management, technical and operational capacity, and economic sustainability, to establish and strengthen civil society networks in eight chiefdoms. He said the project model demonstration for improved and more inclusive CSO participation in policy dialogue for replication in another district.
In his Statement, the Chairman of the Pujehun District Council Foday Kandeh Rogers, described the grant won by MAPCO and MUWODA as a blessing in disguise and a step in the right direction. He admonished the staff of the project to put all their efforts, energy, and time into the project and to put aside their difference to work for the interest of Pujehun district.
He disclosed that in the implementation of the project his office would be closely and strongly following events as they unfold. He acknowledged that the challenges are enormous in the district and therefore, appealed to the implementing partners to consider his people well for the benefit of all and sundry.
Delivering the Keynote address, the International Aid /Cooperation Officer Governance Civil Society Section European Union N’fa Kargbo said, the project aims to Support Civil Society and the Local Authorities for local Development in Sierra Leone. He added that the EU had made available an 813.205 EUR grant to Pujehun and Kenema Districts.
He further mentioned some of the Concrete activities contained in the EU project for Pujehun district such as enhancing the capacity of community structure (CBOs, VDCs, WDCs among others across eight rural chiefdoms. He reiterated that the project would help improve integrated governance and deliver services on poverty reduction to 5,700 vulnerable families.
Mr. Kargbo added that in winning such a contract, the organizations had set the pace and indeed graduated to another level. He therefore called on other non-government organisations to replicate the good example of MAPCO and MUWODA as they await to see the successful implementation of the three-year project which would end by 2026. Meanwhile, the launch ended with a group picture taken.
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