PESSIMA FOUNDATION CLEANS LUMLEY ABERDEEN BEACH SIERRA LEONE

In the bid of attracting tourists as well embracing the Easter festive period, Pessima Foundation in collaboration with partners has undergone an exhibiting strength in the cleaning exercise of the Lumley and Aberdeen Beach on Saturday 16th April,2022.

Osman Kanu, volunteer and member of Pessima Foundation said the foundation is a non-charitable organisation that has immensely contributed in facilitating goodwill projects across the country. Admitting that the foundation in collaboration with the National Tourist Board Sierra Leone, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Unisa Mental Health Services has gathered active men and women to voluntarily enhance the cleaning of the Lumley and Aberdeen Beaches, as it has been one of their core mandates.

He said in place of the Easter break of which the country would witness tourists from different part of the world who also would be visiting most of the beaches in Sierra Leone especially the Lumley and Aberdeen beaches respectively. Noting that they deem it fit to embark on such exercise, as it would send positive feedback to visitors and citizens by extension. ‘’The Tourist Board has been magnanimous enough to accord us with tools,’’ he said.

Osman Kanu stated that the foundation would strive to consider as to whether they would make the cleaning exercise habitual. He felt happy for embarking on such exercise by Pessima Foundation. He urged Sierra Leoneans to always keep the beaches clean and healthy.

Mohamed Bah, Planning and Development Assistant at the National Tourist Board under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs said the venture taking by the Pessima Foundation has been the Minister’s clarion call for different organizations seeing the need to associate with the National Tourist Board in helping to beautify and cleaning of the beaches. He said although tourism would bring economic growth in the country, yet still there have been back and forth challenges in terms of finance, tools, equipment and man-power.

He revealed that the cleaning exercise, which Pessima Foundation has undertaken, would keep creating awareness for other organizations to emulate such gesture. ‘’The Pessima Foundation coming here to clean the beach is sending a very high signal to other organizations to come on board,’’ Mohamed Bah said.

He said in order to maintain share responsibilities with Pessima Foundation; National Tourist Board has provided tools, equipment and man-power to expedite the cleaning exercise.

He admonished Sierra Leoneans and beach frequenters to stop littering and always uphold the love of the country thereby putting Sierra Leone first. Adding that throwing trashes along the beach areas it would not send good messages to tourists.

Joseph Sapunka Turay, Assistant Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said one of the mandates of EPA gears towards protecting Sierra Leone’s environment in ensuring healthy living condition for the people. He applauded the outstanding step taking by Pessima Foundation in keeping the beaches clean and conducive. Adding that EPA has been firmed in the protection of the ecosystem.

He averred that keeping the environmental clean particularly the beach would amplify the communal relationship between man and nature as well facilitates the growth of biodiversity. Joseph Sapunka Turay said littering the beach would have ripple effects on marine ecosystem. He encouraged people to keep the environment clean and maintain the healthy scenery.

Osman Berec Sesay, volunteer of the Pessima Foundation said Sierra Leoneans should serve as an agent for change in terms of keeping the beaches clean and beautiful. As a volunteer, he said beaches are part of the natural treasure Sierra Leone can be proud of unlike other countries. He said the initiative taking by the Pessima Foundation would serve as a skateboard for others.

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Pessima Foundation Donates Food and COVID-19 Relief Items to the Residents of Moyamba District

Pessima Foundation held an awareness campaign on the prevention and control of COVID-19 in Tabe Njama Quee Village, Kowa Chiefdom in Moyamba District on Friday 24th April, 2020. The organization also supplied food and none food items to vulnerable people.

Pessima Foundation is a charity organization formed by Desmond Pessima and his wife Rachael Mariatu Pessima to help venerable people across the country.

Tabe Njama Quee Village has not recorded any case of COVID-19, they strictly adhere to messages and laws instituted by Government and health workers, unfortunately, not many people have reached them with health messages relating to COVID-19 due to bad road network leading to them.

Pessima Foundation would not let bad road networks stop them from helping a community that lacks handwashing facilities except the health post.

A team led by Mohammed Conteh, coordinator of Pessima Foundation entered Tabe Njama Quee Village and had an engagement with them on correct handwashing steps, essence of social distancing, prevention, and control of COVID-19.

Limitations on people’s movement as a way of interrupting the spread of COVID-19 has increased the poverty rate in the world particularly communities that depend on hand-to-mouth economic activities of which Tabe Njama Quee Village is no exception.

That was why the foundation at the end of the sensitization supplied more than sixty households with a bag of rice per household, condiments, soap, and twelve veronica buckets to be placed at strategic areas within the village.

The Coordinator, Mohammed Conteh was glad to hear that steadfastness and the proactive nature of the community people were key elements used in 2014/15 in the fight against Ebola which he said they should maintain. He thanked them on behalf of the CEO and encouraged them to be disciplined and stay united. He said that the fight against COVID-19 cannot be won in disunity.

However, Salamatu Jabbie, the nurse in charge of the health post who demonstrated the correct hand washing steps said that the availability of veronica buckets in the community is good and called on the Chiefs to ensure they are used correctly and are well taken care of.

The Town Chief, Samuel Amara said that they had every reason to be happy having received the message and items at the time things are very difficult with them. He said having food at home minimizes the risks of contracting coronavirus by preventing them from too much movement in search of food.

The CEO who currently stays in the USA sends his regards and message via Mohammed Conteh to the people that they can always benefit from the foundation if they stay united and successfully apply the health messages health workers are telling them.

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Pessima Foundation COVID-19 Relief Project

As part of our mission in helping communities fight hunger and diseases such as the spread of COVID-19, the Pessima Foundation donates buckets, hand washing soap, and food items to Robaka Village, Port Loko District, Sierra Leone.

Pessima Foundation Donates to Robaka Village on Friday 10th April, 2020.

It is no news that the Coronavirus Pandemic has caused huge economic difficulties around the globe. As a way to help communities overcome the difficulties posed by the pandemic, Pessima Foundation, a non-governmental and humanitarian organization has provided food items to sixty-five households at Robaka Village in Port Loko District.

The provision of the relief support by the organization was made during a sensitization tour on precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the Virus in that part of the country.

While presenting the items, the Coordinator for Pessima Foundation, Amadu Deen Kargbo said the Foundation was established against the backdrop of helping the needy and also less privileged communities.

He furthered that the founder, Mr. and Mrs. Pessima established the Foundation with the aim of giving back to society. The items according to the Coordinator are to provide relief to people at Robaka village especially at such a point of economic difficulty.

Amadu Deen Kargbo furthered that the engagement is not only limited to providing relief support but also contributing to stopping the spread of the Virus by educating people on precautionary measures and best practices.

He, therefore, appealed to indigenes to be very cautious and abide by preventive measures provided by health workers including handwashing with soap and clean water.

Educating people on the virus, the Community Health Officer of Malekusay, Thomas Katta appealed to residents of Robaka village to make use of health facilities in their communities, especially during this period.

He called on them to wash their hands frequently and monitor their health and report any signs of the virus when detected.

As part of relief support, the organization provided sixty-five bags of rice, bags of onions, gallons of oil, maggie, and other food condiments to the sixty-five household in the entire village.

Also, a total of ten veronica buckets and soaps were donated to promote the practice of handwashing.

Residents commended the move by the organization as timely because of the difficulty pose by the Coronavirus. They further promised to use the buckets to prevent themselves from the virus.

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