By Hassan Bruz in Port Loko.
The adage that says a friend in need is a friend indeed has once again been actualised for the inhabitants in homes that have been quarantined for Ebola related cases. As you may be aware by now, many homes around the country have been quarantined in a bid to stop the spread of the virus. It implies that such groups of people are compelled to stay within their premises for up to a period of 21 days. It is therefore an open secret that anyone who faces such a situation is exposed to a number of constraints including the restriction of normal movements
In the Northern district of Port Loko as is the case in several parts of the country, such a situation is particularly difficult for the children, women, aged, and disabled persons whose actual means of survival largely depend on others. As outlined by the Director of the Amazonian Initiative Movement, Rugiatu Neneh Turay, she has been thoroughly moved by the fact that things would be extremely tough and rough this time around when Government is getting so overstretched in coping with unbudgeted expenditures. She observed that most of the key areas through which Government is bound to secure revenue are currently not very functional.
There is also the issue of investors most of whom have been scared away for fear of contracting the Ebola virus. She said the situation is much more difficult for people in rural settings who have very few options in eking out a living. She wonders how people would survive after the closure of the weekly Luma markets at Bamoi, Foredugu, Magbele, Gbainty Walla and other places in the district.
In her capacity as Director of such a viable Non-Governmental Organisation, Rugiatu said she could not afford to idly stand by and watch things fall apart. She said her organisation has therefore resolved to complement the untiring of efforts of Government by providing what she referred to as wet feeding to almost all the quarantined homes in Maforki, Koya Marampa and Buya Romendy Chiefdoms.
Each quarantined home is being provided with a bag of rice, charcoal, some bundles of drinking water, and cocking ingredients. She had been able to do that with the support of her partners abroad particularly Stella Rothenberge of the PFEPEER MINZ GREEN, a non-governmental organisation based in Germany.
In an interview with the Sierra Leone News Agency [SLENA] Rugiatu said the Amazonian Initiative Movement was set up in 2003 to campaign against harmful traditional practices and promote Girl Child Education in the country. She said her organisation has since conducted a series of sensitisation campaigns to influence a change in cultural and traditional practices.
She further explained how her organisation has also tried to protect girls from harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation, Early Marriage and Rape. The Director said Amazonian Initiative has also made it a concern for it to enhance the promotion of Adult Education, an aspect that has motivated her to construct two secondary schools and a kindergarten in Marampa and Maforki Chiefdoms respectively.
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