Empowering Children of Persons with Disabilities: Help Bridge the Education & Digital Divide

 In the 2024 School year, AIBIA supported 32 children of persons with disabilities by providing essential school learning materials, including exercise books, pens, crayons, pencils, and geometry sets. This initiative was aimed at easing the education burden for these families and ensuring children of persons with disabilities have the tools they need to succeed in school.

In addition to these supplies, AIBIA also awarded scholarships for each child to study computer skills, helping bridge the digital divide and equip them with the necessary skills for the future.

However, these efforts are just the beginning. We need your support to continue providing educational opportunities, essential resources, and scholarships to more children in need. With your help, we can create a more inclusive and equitable future for children of persons with disabilities. Your donation can make a life-changing difference in their education and digital empowerment.

Together, we can help them achieve their full potential.

Today, young girls feel empowered and confident to unlock and uplift themselves from a digital divide society. Their aspiration is they are drawing a house floor plan they intend to build. 

 

Cooperation with DreamTown

DreamTown, one of our partners with the Mabanta community center, just released a research report on their work in Sierra Leone. Our project with at-risk youth was a part of this research. You can find the full report here. 

The end of sociality...

An interesting question... a year ago, this would mean nothing. But now? In Sierra Leone, what is wrong with this picture?

To me it seems as if people cant still avoid public garthering, u can see the crowd.

Cuba to the rescue

Ebola updates:

"165 Cuban Medical Brigade comprising 63 doctors and 102 nurses was this morning formally received by the Minister of Health and Sanitation Dr Abu Bakar Fofana in a ceremony held at the Miatta Conference Hall in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Also at the Ceremony were the Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation 1, Mr Foday Sawi, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Brima Kargbo; the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone, Mrs Ebun Strasser-King and the Publicity and Outreach Coordinator in the Office of the Government Spokesman, Mr Abdulai Bayraytay from the Government of Sierra Leone and the Ambassadors of China, Cuba and Ghana from the Diplomatic Community. The Ambassador and leaders of the medical brigade paid a courtesy call on the President Ernest Bai Koroma at State House after the ceremony. The Cuban medical personnel will be deployed at the Western Area and Port Loko district, according to the Chief Medical Officer."

"Gbasay Koroma a football player died. This hapen fews days later after his mother kumba koroma died."

Nurse after Nurse

"SIERRA LEONE: Ebola claims another Medic at Connaught Hospital Nurse Prince Vandy Koroma is the latest medical personnel that has succumbed to the Ebola epidemic disease at the Connaught Hospital in Freetown.Koroma who worked at the Out patients Department of the hospital contracted the disease a few days ago and was admitted at the Ebola Ward where he passed away this morning . He has since been buried.Koroma's colleagues say he was a very committed and dedicated to helping those who needed his services.Some of Koroma's colleague at the hospital have asked me to request all Sierra Leoneans and well wishers across the world to remember them in prayers.They are heavily traumatised and are also victims of discrimination.Meanwhile, reporters on the ground are also warning the people of Freetown to avoid Gbendembu, situated near Goderich where 10 people put on quarantine in one house have all died of the disease.N0.14 Richard Street near Sandas St in Freetown is another flash point that should be avoided.   Rest in peace nurse Koroma."

Back to the Ebola ABCs

Ebola:
Strong statements coming from a very religious country...
"WHICHEVER WAY YOU SLICE IT, PRAYER CANNOT CURE EBOLA " . STOP LAYING HANDS ON PEOPLE TO CURE EBOLA, CLERGY PLEADS     Monrovia - Rev. Father Ambrose Koromah of the St. Kizito Catholic Church parish has warned the religious leaders in Liberia against holding deliverance services at their various prayer centers with the intentions of curing people affected with Ebola. Father Kromah said continued attempts to heal people affected by Ebola by prayer services puts God to test and tantamount to destroying the much-needed united effort required in the fight against the Ebola Virus."

Treatment Centers

Ebola in Sierra Leone:
"49 survivers at the treatment centre in hasting took photo with President Koroma!!!

President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma has paid glowing tribute to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation for the great work they have done, in spite of the huge deaths suffered by its staff to help contain the Ebola outbreak. He also commended the tireless efforts of the Sierra Leone Police and the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces to get the treatment center, which is the largest countrywide,  up and running. 

The President described the activities of the treatment center as a turning point in the fight against the Ebola virus disease. 

President Koroma thanked God Almighty for sparing the lives of the 49 survivors. He urged them to take the news to thier communities and tell the story that if the symptoms are detected early enough, the chances of survival are high.

He also called on Sierra Leoneans to desist from stigmatizing patients discharged from Ebola as this will pay little or no dividend for the fight against EVD.

The President further appealed for more treatment centers and up to 1,000 beds to intensify this fight. "We know it is our role as a government to do these things but we want those who want to help us to hurry as time is not on our side," he said, and added that the Ebola fight is a fight for government and its development partners.

President Koroma encouraged all to continue the collaboration which had resulted into this ceremony being witnessed today.

Meanwhile, a dynamic group of young Sierra Leoneans from all works of life donated assorted provisions,  food stuff, sanitary pads and condoms worth over Le16 million to the 49 survivors, including the children."

The ABC's of Ebola

Ebola: The rules for life in Sierra Leone.....

"Please don't forget the followings ABC, APC. AQH, AWDB, AEBM, TSHC, FHW,     ABC- Avoid  Body Contact.                  
APC- Avoid People's Compound.       
AQH- Avoid Quarantine Homes         
AWDB- Avoid Washing Dead Bodies   
AEBM- Avoid Eating Bush Meat        
TSHC- Take the Sick to Health Centres   
SSFR- Stop Spreading False Rumour 
FHW-  Freequent Hand Washing. 

If u can supply at least 2 of similar abbreviations like these above, God will surely bless u. May i here u say amen!! Brothers and sisters today is Sunday, we pray that EBOLA does not live to see more Sundays. Is someone there to answer amen? Ebola must go! I command u to leave now!! This prayer will only answer if we shout Amen/Ameen."

African Union coming to save the day...

Tomorrow, Sunday 5 October, the African Union lead Ebola virus task force arrives in Sierra Leone to provide desperately needed help in the fight against the growing epidemic. Sierra Leone is one of the countries hit worst by the outbreak already having lead its government to undertake drastic measures - such as a complete lock down in September that lastedfor several days. http://bit.ly/1oGXCYZ

Courage

Ebola in Sierra Leone: "The courageous girl, a suspected Ebola victim entering the Ambulance to the holding center. Heading for the holding center." 

How many orphans will there be?

Ebola in Sierra Leone:
"Request from an Ophan child: Nurse I want to see my grand-mother said the eldest child, when would you take us to see my grand-mother? I want to see my grandmother she is staying at mayagba village. The younger child replied, no we should not go there because she is the only one left now, you want grandma to die? No we should stay here first till the Ebola ends they both agreed together sadly and accepted to stay in the holding center."

Ebola Orphans

Ebola in Sierra Leone: 
"Ophan children in the Makeni holding center, three of them are of the same father and with two different mothers, who both died as a result of ebola."

Ebola Gets Closer to Home

Ebola in Sierra Leone: 
"Looking town area makeni got the first suspected case of ebola, the child was abscunded from baio street in central makeni after two persons are dead in that house, the responce team was very fast to identify this and quickly taken to the referal center, the girl age 8yrs though, seems to have the gratest courage to enter the ambulance, she looks seek and week, please remember her in your daily prayers...."  

Another Nurse Dies

Ebola in Sierra Leone:
"Breaking News Tuesday 30 Sept. 2014 Ebola Kills Staff Nurse at Jui Her name is Lucy Sowa. She was a staff nurse working at the Ebola Isolation Unit at the Connaught Hospital in Freetown where she contracted the disease while trying to save other lives. Staff Sowa tested positive a couple of days ago and was rushed to the Ebola Holding Centre in Jui where she died last night. Staff Sowa used to work at the Emergency Hospital in Hamilton from where she responded to the call to serve her country in the fight against the Ebola epidemic disease at the Connaught Hospital. Staff Sowa had no time to talk to her family members before undertaking the trip to Jui. Her colleagues said she was already seriously ill and had no time to even take along some of her personal effects. Staff Sowa, I am told by her colleagues, was a highly dedicated nurse who ensured that her patients got the correct nursing care they needed. She has since been laid to rest. May her soul rest in perfect peace. May Allah admit her in heaven unconditionally." 

Makeni Updates

Ebola: 
"THE PROCLIVITIES OF EBOLA CONTINUES TO PLAGUE MAKENI. 
By Nat Taylor-kamara
As Bombali district continues to register an upward trend reporting on the number of Ebola victims, more and more unwanted occurrences continues to vulnerably violate, torture and live Residents astray to roam their world. In response to the unfortunate incident that saw an influx of people on the streets of Makeni few days ago- jubilating senselessly the end of the Ebola epidemic, the Resident Minister North of the Republic of Sierra Leone have yesterday in a press release banned all activities of commercial motorbike riding in the township and it immediate environs with immediate effect until further notice. This according to sources, the decision was as a result of the rumor that kept Makeni in maddness for hours-"Ebola don don" was believed to have been accelerated by the group in question as investigations continues. 
However, since the end of the civil war in Sierra Leone, commercial motorbike riding has been one of the vivid success stories of Youths reintegration and as well the commonly used means of transportation across the country of which Makeni is pivotal. A ban on this will obviously affect the daily activity facilitation by this sector as daily movements and other related issues will b haunted. The people are in a predicament: trapped in serfdom and exploited by an unknowing fate. Escape is hopelessly imagined. There seems to be no way out for our people but retribution. Children are in a state of deprivation, still dwelling beyond the shadows of reality, behind close doors, knowing that their futures has been tampered with. For them life can never be the same any more. The victims, however, are hypothetically to survive. We will live on to speak for the ones who are touched by this significant story. We shall transcend their misfortunes, the most of all their lonesome voices that silently emanate from the anguished souls.
God save mama because you are the only hope left, our assentors have failed us with impunity filled with impulses with no stopping points to seek redress."

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/10/02/world/africa/ebola-spreading-in-west-africa.html?emc=edit_th_20141002&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=5785688&_r=1&referrer

Orphaned...

Ebola: "This boy is an ophan whose parents both died shortly because of Ebola, his survival lies in the hands of his care giver." Hands that must be perpetually covered...... 

False Jubilation...

Ebola update... rough day in makeni sierra leone. Erant word of an end to ebola came out and people took to the streets dancing. Breaking the quarantine and no touching each other rules.. could be disasterous. But there is so much pent up need for something exciting, something to dance about, to hug someone about. Imagone being confined to you home indefinitely, to your room, not able to even touch anyone, hug your children or spouse, not to be able to comfort them if they get sick, or even put yoir hand on their shoulder. All human contact is basically forbidden...... imagine life like that. And then imagine starving on top of it. 

Here is a report on what happened today:
"This is what they said happen. The situation guys is under control. Some people were released today from quarantine in Makeni and because they came out clean of Ebola after the 21 days stipulated time, they started dancing and jubilating that Ebola is gone. Others joined in the celebration, including Okada riders who have a unique way of jubilating.

Interestingly, something similar to this happened on Saturday around the Grey Bush area in Freetown. Something is going on and we need to carefully monitor the situation.

Tune in to SLBC TV now as they are discussing the issue with their correspondent in the northern City of Makeni"

Their is such misunderstanding of the disease, the biology of such things in general... 

Stolen Rice?!

Ebola in Sierra Leone:
The food situation is becoming dire. With the economy stopped and most of the country under restricted movement and/or quarantine, food and the means to buy it is greatly reduced. The below is a press release that appears to show that the ACC (anti-coruption commision) and the police taking food destined for quarantined areas.... sad. They need food.

Date: 28th September 2014
PRESS RELEASE
ACC INTERCEPTS 4250kgs OF RICE SUPPLY MEANT FOR EBOLA QUARANTINED HOMES
At about 20-21:00hrs on Saturday 27th September 2014, the ACC together with other stakeholders including the Sierra Leone Police and the Health For All Coalition (HFAC), intercepted two vehicles; a Salini Salcost vehicle with registration number ACW 443 driven by one John Sesay and a Toyota Land Cruiser with registration number 73CD24 driven by one Edith J. Kargbo of WFP.
At the time of interception around Watson Street, Masuba, in the Makeni Township, the suspects were actively involved at odd hours contrary to WFP operational procedures transferring 50kg bags of rice from the truck to the WFP Toyota Land Cruiser. A total of 69bags of rice were found in the Salcost vehicle, while 16 bags, which is about 800kgs of rice, were loaded in the WFP vehicle, purportedly for distribution to quarantined homes. The exercise was taking place in the absence of other members of the EOC.
The Makeni Police Division, headed by LUC G.M Turay, the ACC and ONS are investigating the matter. Meanwhile, the drivers of the two vehicles, the DMO, the District Nutritionist and the WFP Programme Assistant in the region, Mahmood Kamara, are helping the Police with the investigations.

Sign: ……………………………….. Sign:…………………………………..
Patrick Sandi, Deputy Director, ASP Ibrahim Samura
Public Education and Outreach Department Head of Media and Public Relations
Anti-Corruption Commission Sierra Leone Police

Os to Os

Ebola in Sierra Leone:
"Just now: 11 homes to have been under quarantining are still not quarantined in lunsar. The blood samples results from the 21st to date indicates 11 homes in lunsar had confirmed ebola patients some of whom are undergoing treatment whiles other are dead. When I spoke with the CHO in lunsar this morning he said they are only waiting on the availability of food before they can start the quarantining of these homes. He acknowledged the fact that they posed a very serious threat now in the community to spreading the virus since they are unrestrictively moving all and about. 
It could also be recalled the stake holders in this community are still to account for 300 bags of rice giving them for the disabled and quarantined homes before the ose to ose sensitization program."