Written by Alfred Samba
Khonthon Development Driving School (KODSA) in Waterloo, Western Area Rural District on Saturday 27 February 2021 held its first graduation ceremony for 16 female drivers after they completed 20 months of exhaustive trainings on professional driving skill.
President of KODSA, Mohamed Sesay, said KODSA has been in existence as the only female charitable driving school in the country. He appreciated Irish Aid’s 44.412 million Leones to the school.
“As an organization, we remain grateful to Irish Aid because, when we started, we wrote to several agencies asking for support but it was Irish Aid that came to our rescue”, Sesay disclosed.
The decision to have a female driving school, he said, is to support vulnerable girls in society as well as contribute to national development.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony was the Irish Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Lesley Ní Bhriain. She congratulated the new sets of graduates and encouraged them to work towards contributing to national development.
“We [Irish Aid] continue to get requests for support but the one from KODSA was a different one. We felt it was something we wanted to support because it deals with empowerment of women”, she explained and assured them of continued support.
Reacting immediately after receiving her graduation certificate and driving license, 27 years old Antonete Koroma said, she was desirous to help her community and society at large.
“To the girls out there, I want them to see this as a challenge. It only takes hard work to succeed”, said Koroma, who now looks forward to working in a company as a driver.
Credit: Owl Newspaper
Good work done Mr. samba, indeed it was good to support child mothers, drop off from school single mothers and change the narrative and domination of male counterpart in the driving field , we KODSA say what men do women can do it better,, we need support especially vehicles and office running operations to continue letting these vulnerable girls and women off the street as night workers, may god almighty continue to bless Irish Aid and their entire staff for their timely intervention.
Thanks so much Mr. Samba for publishing he good work KODSA is doing in Sierra Leone.