Americans for UNFPA Visit Women in Crisis

Concord Times (Freetown)

27 July 2011

Freetown — A delegation of Americans for UNFPA and staff of the UNFPA Country Office in Sierra Leone on Wednesday 20th July, 2011 visited the Women in Crisis Movement (WICM) facilities in Calaba Town, Allen Town and Kissy Dockyard respectively.

The aim of the visit was to get first hand information on the operations of WICM. The delegation was headed by Angeline Martyn.

The team visited the Dr. Konteh Primary Schoolat Allen Town, the saloon and business enterprises established by two beneficiaries of WICM and also held discussions with local authorities in the various communities visited.

The WICM Vocational Institute at Upper Mayenkineh Road and the Administrative Center at Kissy Dockyard, comprising the Safe Home and Counseling Center, were also visited by the delegation.

In an interview with a member of the delegation, Tera, she disclosed that the visit is to assess WICM operations that are supported by UNFPA and added that she is impressed with the work of the Director of WICM, Mrs. Juliana Konteh.

At the Safe Home and Counseling Center at Kissy Dockyard, the Director highlighted constraints buffeting the institution that include the lack of transportation and maintenance of the buildings and its facilities and disclosed that WICM is working with chiefs, who are secondary beneficiaries, stressing that WICM cannot work in isolation.

The Director of WICM, Mrs. Juliana Konteh commended UNFPA for its invaluable support to the Movement revealing that WICM has established other vocational centers in Tongofields in the Kenema District, Eastern Province and Adonkia in the West of Freetown and expressed profound appreciation for the Excellence Award bestowed on her for empowering women and girls.

Angeline Martyn, Director of Communication and Marketing and a counselor by profession, observed that she felt honored by the visit and described WICM as reliable pointing out that Americans for UNFPA solicit financial and moral support for UNFPA in America.

She further disclosed that Mrs. Juliana Konteh is one of the two winners of the Excellence Award which would be presented to them in October this year in New York and revealed that the awardees would also receive small grants.

Angeline Martyn also disclosed that while in New York, the awardees would visit the American Congress where they would be interviewed and pointed out that the other winner also caters for disadvantaged women in Sri Lanka adding that plans are underway to link the two winners to partner for enhanced service delivery and experience sharing with other countries.

According to Angeline Martyn, the American Government spends huge funds on maternal health pointing out that although maternal mortality rate has decreased in Sierra Leone, the statistics are still high and acclaimed staff of WICM for working relentlessly to reduce maternal deaths and the American Government for supporting UNFPA.

The Deputy Director of WICM, Pastor Kalilu Kamara, reiterated that if women are empowered with vocational skills they would transfer such skills to their women folk and appealed for scholarships for students and staff to pursue higher education.

The team is to visit other UNFPA funded projects in the South and East of the country.

A conducted tour of WICM facilities, led by Pastor Kamara, and interviews with staff, students and victims of sexual abuse, climaxed the visit.

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