By Francis Kamara
The Africa Aweee foundation in partnership with Desert Flower Foundation in Sierra Leone, is set to commission its first ever school on Wednesday 5th October 2022. The commissioning is set to take place at the St. Muolmba Catholic School, Hastings, Western Rural District.
The Africa Aweee foundation is a non-profit organization with the sole purpose of supporting children, youth, especially women in Africa to create a better future for themselves.
The foundation is also of the strongest mindset that education for girls or young people is the most effective tool to fight against the cruel ritual of female circumcision or female genital mutilation (FGM).
It’s partners Desert Flower Foundation Sierra Leone, is also a non-profit organization working on sensitive gender issues to enhance specifically girls empowerment and protection against forceful female genital mutilation.
The founding partner of Africa Aweee foundation, Lisa Boyer-Telmer, in her statement acknowledged the tremendous effort and support from Desert Flower foundation Sierra Leone. She added that her commitment to the Africa Aweee foundation is a new task and she really didn’t have to think long and hard about partnering with Desert Flower foundation.
She asserted that Aweee is a South African term which symbolizes happiness, which is what they are trying to provide for Sierra Leonean and African children as a whole. She went on to say that their foundation is all about sharing and spreading love to the African continent – with the focus point being through education and empowerment.
She concluded that they are happy and excited to be in Sierra Leone and to commission the Africa Aweee foundation first school in the west African country.
The Managing Director for Desert Flower Foundation – Walter Lutschinger, highlighted that Desert Flower Foundation is based in over 12 countries, with head offices located in France, Germany, Sweden and Sierra Leone, etc.
He added that the goal of the foundation is to promote and support the educational sector in Africa, and also to end the forceful act of female circumcision. He further said that Desert Flower is serving as a bridge between Europe, America, to invest in the African continent and help humanity.
He acknowledged that their head office is based in Sierra Leone, and have established branches in Guinea and Liberia.
Walter Lutschinger affirmed that they have already built three schools – one at No. 2 community, another at Tombo, the third at Allentown and the fourth will be commissioned at Hastings community.
He concluded that the realization and dream of Waris Dirie, through the Desert Flower project started the great educational initiative for Africa, and with Africa Aweee foundation being the new partners, the foundation now has a strong competitor on board that will help transform the lives of African children and end the forceful act of female genital mutilation (FGM) through education.
The executive Director Caritas, and President of Desert Flower Foundation – Rev. Father Peter A. Konteh, acknowledged that they are looking at the human development index with national focus on education and empowerment.
He highlighted that they started the Desert Flower Foundation Sierra Leone to help change the lives of so many children and they have created contracts with them and their families to help tackle the issue of forceful female genital mutilation. He asserted that the contracts entail a fully funded scholarship signed by them and their parents/guardians, that they will not indulge into the act of female genital mutilation (FGM).
He stated that over four years ago, the foundation has been actively involved in building schools, as that in itself is a storm breaking move to help girls in Sierra Leone.
According to Rev. Farther Peter Konteh, places like No. 2 community never had a school, and stone breaking was the major occupation of children in that community – but with their timely intervention, they have tried to cut down on the number of children indulging themselves into stone breaking activity.
He concluded that they are using education as a key factor in the fight against FGM and will be launching the other school projects that will aid the in the fight.
They encouraged and urged other partners, including the government of Sierra Leone to come onboard and help in the fight against FGM.
