By Emmanuel Bangura
It was a joyful moment during the handing over ceremony of a well constructed Peripheral Health Unit (PHU) at Mile18 in Kambia District.
The event which was graced by community stakeholders, civil society, village heads, nurses, representatives from the Japanese Embassy and the Community Actions for the Welfare of Children (CAWEC) was held on Friday 3rd May, 2024.
Delivering keynote address to participants during the ceremony,
the Director for CAWEC, Mr. Foday Brima Sesay introduced key representatives from different institutions and lamented that, CAWEC is purely working to promote welfare of children, women and everyone in society. He implored the gathering to observe a minute silent prayer for his late Boss who was one of the key founders of CAWEC in Kambia District and Sierra Leone as a whole.
Mr. Sesay emphasized on how the management of CAWEC had struggled since 2021 to actualize the project, recalling that the Japanese Embassy had taken over a year before the project was finally approved to build the timely health center.
He highlighted that the PHU had four components, including the PHU building itself, staff quarters, showers building, VIP toilets, urinal and a laundry unit with pump water.
He explained very clearly that the help came directly from the Japanese government, supported by GTHMC, implemented by CAWEC and handed over to the Kambia District Council, GTHMC, Kambia District Health Management Team (KDHMT) and to the facility Management Committee for the attention of the catchment Community.
He concluded by expressing thankfulness to participants and welcomed all attendees from different institutions and locations.
The District Medical Officer for Kambia (DMO) stated that the PHU is one of the most standard buildings ever in the whole district.
He encouraged and thankd CAWEC management for their rentless efforts through the support of the Japanese government for the great move and implementation of the concrete project.
He called on Mile 18 Community to make good use of the facility and encouraged the nurses in charge to work hand in hand for the good purpose of the Kambia District. He applauded the Japanese government and representatives to continue doing the good work in the district and beyond.
The District Coordinator, Dr. Nabieu Yayah Yeilah, welcomed the gathering with a good sound music system song titled “Finally, Finally ‘tin don bee ooh”.
He spoke lengthily on the way and manner the project had brought happiness in to the lives of people. Mr. Yayah Yeilah showed gratitude to the Japanese government and encouraged elders and stakeholders of the Mile 18 stakeholders to own and embrace the good health facility and requested for more developmental projects to be initiated for the total development or growth of the district.
He explained to the Japanese Embassy representatives on behalf of the Bompeh Community that they were facing the same challenge of lacking of better health care service delivery at the PHU in theirs environ.
He issued out certificates of recognition as Peace Ambassadors to Madam YUKA OKADA, Head of Sierra Leone Affairs Embassy of Japan to Sierra Leone, Mr. Wataru Kodama, Co-operation for Embassy of Japan to Sierra Leone and Miss Inoue Ikuko the Grant Cordinator for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GCHSP).
In her statement, Head of Sierra Leone Affairs Embassy of Japan to Sierra Leone, thanked the facilitators that played a vital role including stakeholders to complete the building project.
She recommended that Sierra Leone is a very important partnership with the Japanese government for the improvement of the country’s health sector and the corporations inline with the Japanese aids in development.
Madam Yuka Okada further deliberated that their aim was to promote sustainable development by implementing important human security projects, noting that they would continue to work with local NGOs and local government with grand assistance for the grassroots and human security projects to ensure that our friendship in Sierra Leone remains sustainable.
She kindly informed the Mile 18 stakeholders that the sustainability of the building is very important. He called on community stakeholders to take good care of the facility for the general good of all.
She concluded by waving and thanking everyone that was present in the occasion.
The cutting down of the ribbons was done by Miss YUKA OKADA, Manager Sesay for CAWEC along side key community stakeholders. And the program was climaxed with group snapshots, handshakes as well as happy smiles to each other.
