By Francis Kamara
It was a delightful day for residents of Moyamba district when on the 7th January, 2023 the Macpherson Foundation was launched at the Moyamba District Council Hall by a philanthropist and humanitarian in the person of, Lawyer Emmanuel Sahr MacPherson, who decided to take the giant leap in combating mental and intellectual disability, as well as creating equal opportunities for the underprivileged children in Sierra Leone.
Philanthropist and Humanitarian Lawyer Emmanuel Sahr MacPherson with kids in Moyamba Town
The auspicious occasion was graced by representatives of NGOs, CSOs, the District Council Chairman and various stakeholders.
In a statement he delivered, Emmanuel Sahr MacPherson, intimated that the Macpherson Foundation was founded in 2020 with the aim of creating equal educational opportunities for underprivileged children and helping children with mental and intellectual disabilities attain their full potentials. He furthered how the Foundation seeks to help underprivileged children who are finding it difficult to access basic things (books, transportation, uniform, food) that could aid them to be successful in school.
He added that as their motto depicts, “No Child Is Left Behind”, the Macpherson Foundation is keen on creating a vision of hope for the future for the most vulnerable of population underscoring that they are working together to provide for children who have suffered abuse, domestic violence, neglect, and abandonment, because of the way they were born.
“People don’t pay much attention to mental and intellectual disabilities and we are determined to change that narrative,” he stated with passion revealing how the Foundation supports children (ages 1 to 12) with intellectual disabilities, traumatic or acquired brain injuries, or other developmental challenges.
The district Council Chairman on behalf of the people of Moyamba District, thanked the Macpherson Foundation for such a wonderful and considerable initiative to help the children and the entire residents of Moyamba town. He went on to say that lots of children have been suffering from physical and mental disabilities, and most of them have been left out of society. He expressed the view that with the help of the Macpherson Foundation, the children of Moyamba town now stand a chance to receive good, quality education, as well as win the fight against mental and intellectual disability, and be inclusive in society.
From what this medium understood, currently the Macpherson Foundation aims at providing home-based support to families of children with developmental disabilities with a goal of keeping the children in their own home.
In an exclusive interview with CEO and Founder Lawyer Emmanuel Sahr MacPherson he informed that the Foundation has a dedicated staff that supports individuals in different communities in Freetown and Moyamba, Southern Sierra Leone.
He maintained that at Macpherson Foundation, they take pride in their ability to support those who have a history of complex life challenges adding that Children need a place where they belong and an environment that supports skills development, rehabilitation, and fosters new friendships.. According to him, those services meet the needs of individuals at all stages of life, beginning with early intervention and home-based services for the youngest of children with developmental disabilities, to private, individualized special education to meet the specific needs of the child.
“At Macpherson Foundation, we focus on building communication, social, behavioral, vocational, and academic skills and work together with families to prepare for the transition to adulthood,” Emmanuel Sahr MacPherson stated.
He lamented that in Sierra Leone, families with children who exhibit symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, are often labeled as witches or wizards, and victimized, abandoned, ridiculed, poisoned, drowned, or totally isolated from other children of the same family.
Emmanuel said against such a bleak backdrop, the Macpherson Foundation has a dedicated vision to helping underprivileged children realize their dreams by supporting them through school-based programs that meet critical needs and cater to the needs of children with mental and intellectual disabilities through early intervention and home-based services.
He said they have a very strong mission to uplift underprivileged children across Sierra Leone to reach their full potentials and create opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to participate fully in the community by partnering with stakeholders, parents and the community as a whole.
The event was climaxed with the official launching of the Foundation by the Chairman’s proclamation.
