Hope-Sierra Leone

Activities for September to December 2003

Submitted by National Coordinator of Hope-Sierra Leone, Rev. Sorie Kargbo, on December 8, 2003.

The rainy season offered very little opportunities for the organization to engage in other activities other than our agricultural development programmes.

The activities, as you are already aware is being undertaken nation wide. In Western rural, we are engaged at Sinneh Gbankoh. In the North, our attention is focus on two communities in Makeni, Bombali District with former fighters and locales of the two villages.

In the Southern and Eastern flanks, similar work is being carried on in Bo and Kenema respectively. In a nut shell, the period under discussion consist mostly of two types of farming. Inland valley Swamps farming and Upland farming constitute the categories.

In the Western flank of Sinneh Gbankoh, more seeds were supplied to the community from the proceeds of the agricultural produce since the rice harvested last season was not fit for consumption than replanting because the sea overflowed into the swamps thus affecting the rice. Some of this was used as 'Food for Work' whilst the seedlings that were saved for this year’s gardening purpose will soon be re-planted. It is hoped that work starts by December when the harvest would have been affected.

In the Northern Provincial town of Makeni, under the monitoring supervision of the provincial staffs, the two communities of Robuneh and Makane Chiefdoms have also been working very hard. There seemed to have initially a tussle between the community members of Robureh who were particularly not satisfied with the activities of their chairman. The hiccups having been taken care of, two phases of the work were carried out, broadcasting(pland) and nursing and transplanting. The pilot project of the broadcasted area is currently being harvested and the following items were requested:

• 50 empty sacks
• Storage facility(The office has enough space)
• Tarpaulin for drying the harvested seeds (rice)

Makarie is yet to start harvesting since there is an inland swamp. Already, they are also asking for similar facilities as above and the harvest there will be effected at the end of December, 2003.
In the Eastern flank of Kenema, two communities were our target beneficiaries; Lower Lagor and Upper Lagor respectively. Under the able supervision of Mrs. Doris Kanneh and others, work here is progressing without many hitches.

Like the Northern communities, they too are asking for harvesting equipments before the harvest commences in late December,2003. One impression thing about the Eastern region is the cooperation now established amongst the members which resulted, for example in their personally providing Food For Work for the two communities.

In the Southern Region of Bo, the regional Co-coordinator, Mr. Francis Williams together with his team, were able to supply two communities with seed rice. These were the Kpetema and Gbanahun communities respectively.

Both communities went to work immediately and most of these young men were enthusiastic about HOPE SIERRA LEONE Initiatives. In fact, at Gbanahun, they were quick to organize themselves into an Agricultural Association.

The work in Kpetema...

...was a bit delayed because of the lack of tools but their determination never waned. Thus, in spit of very early heavy rains which disturbed the planting, both communities are doing well. Their major request however, was to be issued with fertilizers.

Also in Bo, the women’s wing, headed by Mrs. Francess Saffa has started serious work on vegetable garden. Her efforts have brought together 15 hard-working war widows(15) and they are contemplating on Inlands Valley Swamp work come next planting season.

Now that we have entered into the Dry season, a series of request from a number of communities asking us to be implementers of programmes that they had worked on , may soon take effect.

A new community that we have working very closely with quite recently in the Western rural district of Baoma has requested that we run a campaign on the project against A HIV/AIDS. The approval of their project is imminent and you shall be informed accordingly.

Similarly, in the North, our office has been approached for the same campaign and other programmes related to youth re-integration activities. A visit by the Secretary-General to that district indicates some positivism on these ventures.

We have been also un-officially approached by a renowned NGO 'World Vision' Northern Region about their plans to host a peace convention to which we might be invited as partners to shre experiences of peace building initiatives. This comes up some time in December,2003.

Finally, plans are there to celebrate this year’s peace Tree planting Anniversary at a very low-key level. The date could be shifted a bit but the plans may not be altered.

Activities slated for the celebrations include the following;

• A football Gala
• Thanksgiving Service (Mosque and & Church)
• A plenary Session with a key Speaker on the essence
• A radio talk programme
• Probably a Dance

We intend having the plenary at the office to which a number of people will be invited.

 - An Agenda for Reconciliation