By Yusufu S. Bangura
Minister of Social Welfare, Baindu Dassama-Kamara, last Saturday told journalists that government would respond to 312 persons who were affected during the November 5Wellington fire disaster,which took the lives of over 150 people.
She made the promise during a one day healing and psycho-social support given to affected persons. The event was organised by the Ministry of Social Welfare in collaboration with All for One Prosperity Centre at Old Wharf, Wellington.
“I want to inform you all that government is ready to respond to 312 affected persons including survivor and the immediate family of those who lost their love ones because we have received their data and we will give package to them to start their lives again. I want you to appreciate the offer given to you by the government therefore let us continue to encourage ourselves and pray for this kind of disaster not to happen again in our country,” she said.
She said they decided to offer prayers for survivors and affected family members at Wellington because prayer can transform so many lives, adding that they should always put God first because he is a miracle working God.
Encouraging survivors and family members, madam Dassama said in life people must be ready to accept whatever that happen to them either good or bad because God have plan for everyone.
The Social Welfare Minister said people need to appreciate the work of the government and they also need to love each other because Sierra Leone is the only country they all belong to. She further admonished that they should not allow poverty or political parties to divide them because disaster does not pick and choose who to affect.
Director of All for One Prosperity Centre, Katie Milazzo said they started operating in the country since 2015, and that they are operating in partnership with Sierra Leone International Mission School (SLIMS) to help communities afflicted by the outbreak of the Ebola virus, which left thousands of children orphaned and impoverished.
She said in 2017, they also partnered with SLIMS to build a Sierra Leone Child Prosperity Center to function as a safe haven for children and families in need of additional support and services.
She said they also provide interim housing and care for over 100 children who await a forever home as a place of hope for families to remain unified and ultimately thrive.
She continued that the centre also plans to provide sustainability courses for survivors in personal farming, literacy, recycling, job preparation, and small trade training. Millazo said the centre is located at Wellington where the fire incident took place and whenever they woke up to do their business they think about those that have lost their relatives during the incident because they are part of their work.
“We collaborate with the Ministry of Social Welfare to pray for those we lost during the fire disaster because we want to remind their relatives that we still care for them, we think about them and we still want them to succeed in life. We are therefore encouraging everyone to visit our centre as we all need to work together, unite as one family and join force to move our country,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the survivors, Joseph Kamara thanked the Ministry of Social Welfare, development partners and Non-Governmental Organisations for the support given to them during and after the disaster.
He said November 5was not an easy day for them especially they that were affected directly.
He said on that night he was coming from town when he met heavy traffic on the way so he decided to come down the vehicle and on board a motorbike, adding that no sooner than he arrived at Choithram Super Market gate that a heavy explosion occurred
“I want to thank God for given us the opportunity to live again after the fire disaster because it was not easy for us and those that lost their lives, may God have mercy upon the dead and grant them heaven,” he said.