The Kanu Branch Foundation Sierra Leone Limited (KBFL) on Thursday 20th January 2022 donated various school materials worth $18,000 (eighteen thousand Dollars) to 400 pupils in three primary schools-Sierra Leone Muslim Brotherhood, Brima Lane, Wellington; Lion Mountain Academy, Rokel and the Masjid Rahman on Wilkinson Road all in the Western Area.
The impressive donation ceremony took place at the conference room of the new Freetown City Council building on Wallace-Johnson Street in Freetown in which the mayor of Freetown, Mrs. Yvonne Aki-Sawyer in her keynote address commended KBFL for the invaluable support to education with the donation of school materials and sanitation items to the three schools as well as donation to orphanages in the Western Area and appealed to the pupils to take advantage of the opportunity to study hard, not to spy in examinations and to make good use of the items.
The mayor also urged girls to work extra-hard to become successful and assured that the donation would create impact in the lives of the pupils.
The school materials include exercise books, files, pens and pencils, crayons and paper glues.
Mr. Mohamed Fofanah from the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education commended KBFL for complementing government’s free quality education flagship project which he stressed is the biggest social project in the country that needs a lot of support from donors and assured KBFL of the Ministry’s unflinching support at all times.
The Deputy Director of NGO Desk in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Mr. Kelvin Kallay said that one of their functions is to supervise and ensure that NGOs align their programs to government’s national development agenda, that government recognizes the sterling work of KBFL and its transparency and accountability, that education is human capital development and admonished the pupils to make good use of the opportunity.
He also appealed to the various communities where the schools are located to take ownership of the items and appealed to KBFL to donate to other deprived communities.
In his introduction of guests and welcome statement, the national president of KBFL, Mr. Marouf Kargbo disclosed that the aim of the organization is to help the less-privileged children in the country, that since the KBFL was founded five years ago they have supported schools in Zimmi in the Pujehn District, Magbele, Kono District, donated furniture to a school in Port Loko District as well as food and non-food items to orphanages in the Western Area during the Ebola outbreak,
He also observed that in a school in Kono District, children walk 14 miles daily to and from school, that funds for all their donations/operations are personal contributions from members of KBFL, clarified that they have no other source of funding and appealed to government, donors and well-wishers for support.
The KBFL Director of Communications, USA, Kariatu Jabbie underscored that education is the key to development and success, admonished the pupils to be studious, respect their teachers and those in authority observing that unlike Sierra Leone, there are a lot of opportunities in America.
The Director of Operations KBFL Worldwide, Mrs. Alusine Kanu informed that they started the organization with minimal funds in 2014, reiterated that the donation is for pupils to excel in their studies, that they are doing their own bit to contribute to national development, commended the teachers for their patience, dedication and commitment to duty and hoped the relationship between the teachers and the organization would continue.
Highlights of the ceremony were the symbolic presentation of the school materials to the pupils by the mayor, entertainment by comedians, musical performances, and introduction of the KBFL executives at home and abroad, a video documentary of previous KBFL projects while the vote of thanks was rendered by Fatima Bangura of the Lion Mountain Academy.