By JB Roy Kajue
The Church of God of Prophecy Primary School in the heart of Makeni city has benefitted from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Qommodity/Tandem Liber Holdings Limited. It could be recalled that quite recently, a violent windstorm raged across Makeni city in the Northeast Region of the country that resulted in considerable damage to buildings, especially the roofs, including one of the buildings of the Church of God Prophecy Primary School that was completely unroofed.
Stakeholders including the Headmistress, Board of Trustees, Makeni City Council (MCC), the Ministry of Basic and Senior School Education (MBSSE) and parents felt so lost following the windstorm.
They never knew where to turn for immediate help to re-roof the building with schools still in SESSION And they third term exams was in progress…. Pupils will only attend classes when there is no rain because the classrooms has no roof to cover the children… The used wood stumps as tables and chairs as seats…. The entire school has no water facilities as the machines on the hand dug wells has been stolen away…… The school lacks all the amenities that you can think of as the entire school has nothing for sanitation (TOILETS)..
Consequently, the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) took up the onus to advocate for the re-roofing of the unroofed school building. Qommodity/Tandem Liber had information about the school’s predicament through a social media platform.
On Monday 17th May 2022, a very colourful ceremony was organized on the school campus to thank Qommodity for what the Deputy City Mayor’s of Makeni described as the timely re-roofing of the unroofed building of the school.
The occasion attracted parents and a huge turnout of very appreciative teachers and pupils.
A very eloquent Class Six pupil extolled the virtues of Qommodity, describing them as Gold mining company currently with a small scale mining LIC in mabonto and that are set to apply for exploration licenses from the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL).
According to Qommodity/TLH they dished out Le45 Million to effect the repairs. The General Manager of Qommodity/TLH, Sierra Leonean-born Abdul Mawlaiyah Kamara, gave a very emotionally laden message to the pupils. He narrated how he had to fetch woods and plums to be able to afford lunch. He said that did not deter him from pursuing his education.
The General Manager assured the pupils that they can become whatever they choose to be provided they make efforts to become educated, adding that they should see themselves as the future leaders of Sierra Leone.
Qommodity/TLH Chairman and CEO, Edward Meijers, reiterated the same message to the pupils, stressing that only the sky will be their limit in their pursuit of EDUCATION if the work hard and stay focused on the horizon.
Addressing teachers after an inspection of the school facilities and their stressed conditions, Meijers recognized their sacrifice and commitment in rendering their services to mankind and to transfer their knowledge to the future leaders as knowledge is power.
A man of his words, he told the teachers that he has seen the felt needs of the school and will focus on them immediately.
The CEO furthered that he would not make promises and that he had learnt to be self-reliant since he joined the Army at a very tender age. He therefore entreated the teachers to be strong and faithful….. He promised that the school authorities will hear something from the management through their General Manager as soon as possible but will first do cost analysis.
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