The Chevening Alumni Association in Sierra Leone (CAASL) has in the just concluded election on the 24th March 2021, overwhelmingly elected Momo Turay, as the new National Coordinator to serve for a period of two years, succeeding Solomon Caulker.
On the first of April 2021, members of the Chevening Alumni Association Sierra Leone gathered in the Conference Room of the Sierra Leone Police Headquarters where the handing over ceremony took place.
ASP Joan Bull welcomed members to the ceremony; DIG Elizabeth Turay states the purpose of the gathering and introduced the new Executive. Solomon Caulker gave details of the formation of CAASL, the development recorded including development of CAASL constitution, the registration, induction of members and donation to NACOVERC. He also highlighted the challenges encountered during his tenure including the COVID-19.
In his inaugural statement, Mr. Turay thanked the membership of CAASL for the confidence reposed in him, promising to live to and exceed their expectations.
He said that he was going to lead using a consultative, participatory and teamwork approach to take CAASL to another level in the landscape of Sierra Leone.
He used the opportunity to recognise the contribution of the outgoing Coordinator Solomon Caulker for his leadership which surely left its footprint in the sands of time. Furthermore, he thanked him for the warm and cordial relationship that he created whilst working with him as General Secretary.
In the closing courtesies Dr Fanny Koroma thanked the members present for showing up and appealed to them to inject new spirit in their commitment to help the leadership succeed. She thanked the Outgoing executive for their work and asked them to continue to provide their support to the new Executive. Dr Fanny Koroma thanked the DIG for and the leadership of the SLP for allowing CAASL to host their ceremony in their premises.
The Chevening scholarship program is the UK Government Scholarship awarded to carefully selected potential leaders and influencers that are trained in world class universities in the United Kingdom at postgraduate level. The scholarship programme targets First Class and Second Class upper graduates, who possess leadership and influencing potentials. To be awarded the scholarship, applicants will have to fill a form (done online nowadays) responding to critical issues on leadership, networking, studying in the UK and career plans among others.
In addition to filling the form, applicants should apply to three UK universities that can deliver the postgraduate program desired which previously was done by the UK office. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview where they have to convince the panel of their suitability of the award. The quota and areas of study is also determined by the Uk and Sierra Leone Governments partnership/cooperation priorities. Selected awardees are given full scholarship package- tuition, sustenance, others-books and dissertation as well as flight tickets(to and from the UK). In addition to the scholars (postgraduate studies leading to Masters degree), there is another carefully selected batch of people in leadership positions who are selected and empowered in Strategic Leadership in UK universities that are known as Chevening Fellows.
To date, more than 102 scholars and fellows from Sierra Leone have benefited since its inception in 1983 from various professions- academia, engineering, law, medicine, development, management, journalism and security among others.
The Chevening Alumni Association of Sierra Leone (CAASL) came into being in 2016 and Solomon Caulker was elected National Coordinator. The tenure of an executive is for two years as per CAASL Constitution of 2016.
The current executive committee listed below will serve for two years-2021 to 2023. 1. National Coordinator-Momo F Turay 2. General Secretary-Lyndon Baines Johnson 3. Social Secretary- Dr Fanny Koroma 4. Finance Comptroller-Beatrice Serry Sesay 5. Public Relations Officer-Fatmata Kamara Jalloh There is a reserved ex-Officio position for the person in charge of Chevening issues at the British High Commission.
Momo Turay belongs to the 2003/2004 cohort of Cheveners, studied at the University of Edinburgh and graduated with an MSc in Resource Management. He obtained a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Agriculture (Animal Science) and M. Phil in Animal Nutrition from Njala University College, University of Sierra Leone in 1998 and 2003 respectively.
Momo lectured at Njala University College prior to obtaining the Chevening Scholarship from 1998 to 2003.
After completing his MSc at the University of Edinburgh, he served as Desk Officer for West Africa as focal point for Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations supported by the IUCN- Netherlands Small Grants Fund. In this position, he supported the development of a holistic proposal that secured the World Bank fund for Protected Areas Management for Sierra Leone; he strengthened coordination between Environmental NGOs in West Africa as well as built their capacities.
In 2005, when the DFID funded Justice Sector Development Programme (JSDP)was initiated in Sierra Leone, Momo Turay was part of the Senior Management team from start to conclusion in 2011. The JSDP was a very successful programme that provided a sector- wide approach to justice sector reform following the conclusion of the civil war. Several legislative and policy reforms, creation and proper functioning of necessary structures that ensured the justice sector responds to the poor, marginalised and vulnerable groups of the Sierra Leonean society. In addition, JSDP won the British Council prestigious Virtual Award in 2011 and Momo was selected by the leadership of JSDP and British Council to receive it on their behalf.
Momo has held key leadership positions-Country Director- the UK Sierra Leone Pro Bono Network; Grand Master Freetown Hash House Harriers; Chair of Board for local NGOs; Student leader- Vice President 1996-1997 Njala University College Students Union and several other leadership positions. Momo Turay has consulted extensively for DFID, the United Nations, ECOWAS; Ministries Departments and Agencies of the Government of Sierra Leone and other International as well as national organisations on research, capacity building and development issues.
Momo has promised to provide leadership for the current executive committee with the primary task of raising the profile of Cheveners in Sierra Leone, mobilise Cheveners to give back to society and support the sustainability of the Chevening scholarship program in Sierra Leone.
