Fambul Tok Trains Bayakor Section Peace Mothers

Training Session

Fambul Tok trains #Peacemothers in Faada community, Bayakor section , Gbense chiefdom, Kono district, eastern Sierra Leone through the Strengthening Human Security Project funded by UNDP Sierra Leone and FAO Sierra Leone.

Bayakor Section Peace Mothers Formation, Gbense Chiefdom, Kono

Fambul Tok head of the Peace Mothers Lilian Mors

ay describe the role of the peace mothers as critical in the stability and

development of the chiefdom.

‘Without peace we cannot achieve anything in our communities,

during wars and elections violence women suffer most. We have to plug in the leaks in the ‘community cup’ to avoid wastage in donor and development funds. As a community, FT believed that you have the answers for the challenges from within your communities’, she said.

Fambul Tok Field Officer Lucinda Kellie, facilitated sessions on good listening and conflict mediation. “As peace mothers you need to have integrity, impartial, apolitical and be a good role model in your communities. We in Fambul Tok have our values that we must strictly follow in order to win the trust of the community”, She said

The group elected their executive members after the training and formation and decided on a date for their next meeting.

Moyamba District Council Holds DDCC Meeting

The Moyamba District Council (MDC) held its second District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) meeting at the council’s hall in Moyamba town on 1st October 2021. Paramount chiefs (PC), representatives of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society (CSOs), Fambul Tok (FT) and senior council staffs were in attendance. The DDCC is a culmination of the on-going transformation of the Inclusive District committees (IDCs) as proposed in the Wan Fambul National

DDCC Meeting at MDC Hall

Framework (WFNF) adopted by the government of Sierra Leone and implemented by the Ministry of Development and Economic Planning (MODEP) and The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) with oversight from the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

MDC Chairman Joseph Benedict Mbogba welcomed all. He said the DDCC is a transformation of the IDC/MSP (Multi-Stakeholders Platform). It will be performing the same functions that the MSP and IDC used to do. “The DDCC will continue with the same goal, function and focus and Fambul Tok will still continue to provide vital support”, explained Mr Mbogba. This meeting should be taken seriously as it will discuss issues affecting the welfare and development of Moyamba district, he said.

Fambul Tok Abdul Rashid commended the roles of OVP, MODEP, MLGRD, UNDP (United Nations Development Fund), MDC and members of the IDC/MSP in the peace and development of the district.” FT is happy

DDCC Meeting at MDC Hall

to witness this transformation in line with the Wan Fambul National Framework and,  will continue to support the process now that GoSL and councils are taking ownership of the process”, he said.

MODEP Sheku Gibril said the Ministry will be around to monitor progress to ensure that DDCC meetings are well structured in deliberations, reporting and actions. He said a committee must be set up to follow up on action points and meeting calendars.

The DPO Mansa Musa read the last minutes and the various MDAs, NGOs, INGOs and CSOs gave activity updates.

The DDCC identified education as a major challenge as schools were not doing well in public exams. The cited causes ranging from lack of trained and qualified teachers, lack of parental control, GBV dysfunctional supervision by relevant education stakeholders and misuse of school subsidies by heads of schools. A number of action points were suggested to ameliorate the situation including restriction of ”luma” (trade fare) days and improvement of school facilities. Paramount Chiefs will hold meetings with education and community stakeholders.

PC Gibao Nyama Russel

PC Foday Momoh Gulama asked for Teaching Service Commission to provide incentives to attract teachers, and called for the road network to Shenge and Songo to be improved.

CSO Gerald Foday called on MODEP to ensure the Moyamba benefits from development projects and the President’s 100 schools project.

UNICEF field officer said they are interested in the DDCC because without peace in communities their interventions will not succeed.

Fakuya PC Bengeh asked the DDCC to pay attention to his chiefdom as there is a minority who are dissatisfied with the outcome of the chieftaincy elections and are bent fomenting trouble.

Fambul Tok Boosts Dea and Upper Bambara Peace Mothers Income

Fambul Tok in an effort to facilitate self-reliance and sustainability among peace mothers groups has provided support to Dodo and Nyanyahun Peace Mothers in Kailahun District.

Soap Processing Inputs

Gari Processing Equipment

On the 15th September 2021, Kailahun team handed over Fambul Tok assistance of one bag caustic soda, two rubber bowls, gloves and twelve gallons palm oil as support to their Peace Mothers’ soap processing activity at Dodo community, Dodo Section Dea Chiefdom.

Monjama Brima, the Peace Mothers’ chairlady, expressed full satisfaction over the support; she thanked Fambul Tok for their timely intervention as peace change agent.

On the 17th September 2021, the team handed over one bag caustic soda, two rubber bowls, twelve gallons of palm oil and one packet of gloves as support to Peace Mothers groups in Nyanyahun section in Upper-Bambara chiefdom.

It resulted to claps of joy. As stated by Fatmata Kallon the group’s Adviser:  “Our mind set has changed completely, l have no doubt over the activities of Fambul Tok because their activities surrounds ensuring peace in every community”

Mohamed Kamara the group’s Secretary also added that the community has great confidence in Fambul Tok for bringing their community women together and this has helped mould the minds of women.  He stated that the community stand to uphold Fambul Tok values and continuity.

The Peace Mothers will use the funds generated from their soap making activities to seek the welfare of members and facilitate their peace-building work.

Kailahun DDCC Holds Inaugural Meeting

Fambul Tok Executive Director John Caulker commends the inaugural meeting of the Kailahun District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) as a “dream come true” and calls for linkages with the (VDC) Village Development Committees.
He said this at the first DDCC meeting held at the council’s hall in Kailahun

DDCC in Deliberations

district, facilitated by the Department of Planning.

Present at the meeting were Paramount Chiefs, MDAs representatives, civil society, national and international NGOs.
Council Chairman Ahmed Keke Sahr Lamin in his opening remark said members of the DDCC should take their participation very seriously as the structure is responsible for the peace, security and development of kailahun district.
Paramount Chief Banya welcomed all and wished participants

FT ED  

 

MODEP Ag Deputy Director

successful deliberations.
The Acting Deputy Director of Development Mbalu Kamara said MODEP will provide oversight to the newly formed DDCC to ensure that its procedures are standardised and followed best reporting practices and deliberations formats. Mrs Kamara said the DDCC should meet before the council meeting and reports must be sent to MODEP immediately for action.
Representatives of MDAs and NGOs gave activity updates and deliberated on issues emanating from them.

Fambul Tok Joins WFP to Empower Lower Banta

Community Based Participatory Planning working session with identified community and chiefdom stakeholders ends Friday, September 24 at the CDC hall in Mosenesie, Lower Banta chiefdom, Moyamba district.

The session was organized by World Food Program together with communities and partners to identify issues and tailor program responses to local requirements.

It puts different sociological and economic group representatives in the driving seat of designing and planning multi-year and multi-sector interventions, contributing to their resilience building, to achieve their mission. The sessions were held for community members in Lower Banta chiefdom.

According to WFP’s Adama Kamara the sessions were held that would lead to a community action plan outlining and prioritizing activities and resource needs to build resilience.

She said the community based participatory planning was scheduled in 2020 but dragged into 2021 because of Covid 19 crisis in the country

She continued that communities in Lower Banta would identify issues and proffer solutions to them collectively

Fambul Tok International’s project officer Solomon Yarjoh highlighted what the organization has been doing since last year. He said Grievance Redress Committees have been set up in Lower Banta, Upper Banta, Malen and Makpele chiefdoms under the UN Peace Building project funded by UNDP and WFP.

He said as the project comes to an end various sessions have been held seeking the views and opinions of youth, women and chiefdom stakeholders on issues raised in various chiefdoms. He added that actions would be taken by various bodies including the government on the outcomes of those sessions.

He said sustainable plans and actions would be necessary to retain whatever that has been done during project period and not allow successes to erode after the project

Representing Office of the Vice President, Swalihu Jusu admonished community members to put hands on deck to continue working as GRCs or farmers.

He said the Office of the Vice President will support the best farming communities in the farming project and present them with certificates for their hard work.

Ministry of Agriculture, Bob Sheriff explained the role of his ministry in the project. He said farmers would be supported through various means to ensure strict adherence to regulations on quality farming processes.

Representatives of other ministries and agencies also spoke on what they have been doing to support the Peace Building project.

Various topics including resilience, agro- businesses, project development and communications skills were dealt with.

Training Participants

Training Participants in Group Photo

At the end of the sessions, community members drew up plans and highlighted things they will be doing to support development in the next 4 years.

International Day of Peace Press Statement

The International Day of Peace (IDP) is observed around the world on 21 September. The UN has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.

The IDP was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.

The 2021 theme for the International Day of Peace is “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world”. We celebrate peace by standing up against acts of hate online and offline, and by spreading compassion, kindness, and hope in the face of the pandemic, and as we recover.

In 2021, as we heal from the COVID-19 pandemic, we join the international community and the people of Sierra Leone to be inspired to think creatively and collectively about how to help everyone recover better, how to build resilience, and how to transform our world into one that is more equal, more just, equitable, inclusive, sustainable, and healthier.

We applaud the government of Sierra Leone for setting up the National Peace Commission and hope that it will be given the full capacity to build sustainable peace and national cohesion.

Our country ranks 46 in the Peace Index slipping 10 places from 2020 GPI. In spite of the fact that we rank 4th in Sub- Sahara Africa, we call for more efforts from government, stakeholders and citizens to improve our standing as a peaceful state among the community of nations.

The pandemic is known for hitting the underprivileged and marginalized groups the hardest. We salute the citizenry for enduring and adhering to COVID19 preventive measures. Fambul Tok will continue with the roll out of the Wan Fambul National Framework in order to give communities agency in their development, peace and cohesion.

Fambul Tok calls on all stakeholders to help address the root causes of conflict and create conditions that foster peace and to particularly resolve residual post elections conflicts relating to chieftaincy leadership. We call on government and political parties to foster an environment of tolerance and the tenets of good governance.

Fambul Tok Boosts Konio Peace Mothers Soap Production

On the 20th September 2021, Fambul Tok Kailahun team handed over soap-making items consisting  of one bag caustic soda, 12 gallons of palm oil, two big rubber bowls and one packet of gloves to Konio section Peace Mothers in Cheseneh community, Konio section, Kissi Teng chiefdom, kailahun district. A to

Konio Peace Mothers Executive

tal number of 9 female members and one male attended the meeting.

Sallay Conteh the Peace Mothers’ Treasurer thanked Fambul Tok for the donation and for ensuring unity, awareness and prevalence of peace among community people especially for women’s inclusion. She stated that people have been pointing fingers on them and calling them names but this intervention shows Fambul Tok cares for its Peace Mothers.

The group’s chairlady Femata James also expressed her satisfaction over the handing over ceremony.  She assured Fambul Tok that she will keep the group in working order to produce and supply the entire section and even beyond with enough soap. She further stated that they need no trainer for the production because Fambul Tok has developed their knowledge long ago.

The handing over ceremony ended with the team lead Lucia Brima encouraging Peace Mothers to continue their activity and bring more women on board.

Human Security Project Empowers Women of Soa Chiefdom

Soa Chiefdom Women’s Ambassadors

As part of strengthening women in Soa chiefdom, Kono district, Fambul Tok has identified women in all sections and started training programs as ambassadors in their communities. The objective of the training sessions is to address grievance / conflict issues in their communities, promote peace-building, and monitor locally to identify early warning signs. The women after the trainings will also transfer these skills to other members and promote Sustainable Development Goals in their various communities. The training is part of the Human Security Project supported by UNDP and FAO Sierra Leone.

The training topics range from gender equality, gender mainstreaming, empowerment; communication skills; and peace building approaches. The training of the women peace ambassadors was held in Sukudu village, Sawafiama section.

In her welcome address, chiefdom women’s leader Haja Fatmata Yarjah said women play very important roles in the development of any community. She disclosed that women in Soa chiefdom have not been left out by chiefdom administration, but added, they should be included in various activities. She said the chiefdom is faced with lots of challenges, one of which has link with the deplorable road networks.

She encouraged participants to take the training session very serious, admonishing them, to convey whatever skills they will learn to other community members in various sections.

Emphasizing on the importance of offering such sessions to women, Lilian Morsay, Fambul Tok Peace Mothers Coordinator said women need to take the lead in peace building approach to ensure communities remain peaceful.

She said women are faced with several problems, and added that, training them to be ambassadors will help promote peace, unity and stability in their communities and contribute to the socio-economic development of their communities and the nation as a whole.

Fambul Tok Lucinda Kelley said women should participate in locally led mechanisms for addressing grievances and platforms for inclusive decision-making. She said women in Kailahun, Pujehun and Moyamba are making progress for the fact they are now walking together.

She said that promoting and facilitating mediation through dialogue activities and truth telling among conflicting parties at grassroots level, will enable conflict transformation and sustainable peace using traditional approaches involving respected community members and leaders. It will also provide necessary support for the empowerment of women to establish non-violent forms of conflict resolution at community level. She said rural women should be involved in conflict resolution, mediation and reconciliation especially in post-election era so that they can also contribute to peace and help raise development priorities.

One of the sectional women’s leaders, Finda Jabba, explained that after the 2018 general elections women faced challenges as some women were accused of not voting for preferred candidates. She hailed the training and said as they now know their rights and responsibilities to participate in community programs they will continue to come out in their numbers to contribute to development aspirations in their chiefdom.

Kumba Kamanda highlighted various issues and said women are great pillars to development in communities. She encouraged them to come out of the kitchen and be involved in active engagements to resolve conflicts in the chiefdom. She said women are vulnerable but very powerful when fully engaged in most community services.

After the training, the new ambassadors formed an executive and suggested that they meet at the end of every month on rotational basis.

Fambul Tok Donates Cassava Processing Machine to Semabu Peace Mothers

Fambul Tok donates gari (cassava) processing machine and one drying tray to Peace Mothers in Semabu Community Boukor Section Peje Bongre Chiefdom, Kailahun district on the 14th September 2021to the strengthen the group’s sustainability.

Lucia Brima, Fambul Tok’s Field Officer said the donation is to support the women in Semabu to continue their work on peacebuilding a

Semabu Peace Mothers Receive Cassava Machine

nd sustainable development in the community. She admonished the group to take care of the equipment and do regular maintenance. “One day”, she said, “Fambul Tok will not be around to do peacebuilding. It will be their responsibility to carry on and make their community people”.

Fambul Tok Trains Youth Ambassadors in Soa Chiefdom

Youth from all sections in Soa chiefdom, Kono district have undergone intensive training on different topics in peace building to avoid violence and other forms of bad social behaviors in their communities.

The training targeting male and female youth from all nine sections in the chief

Youth Ambassadors training

dom is part of “The human security project” supported by UNDP and FAO.

In his welcome address, chiefdom youth leader Peter Foyoh said ‘youth are very happy to see young people gather together in the interest of promoting peace in the chiefdom’. He said ‘Soa chiefdom administration is one of the chiefdoms that takes youth and women activities into consideration’. He said: ‘every section has female authority to close the gap of gender equality’.

Giving a background of the human security project, Fambul Tok Project Officer Solomon Yarjoh said the project would be implemented in Soa, Kamara and Gbense chiefdoms that face multiple challenges and vulnerabilities. He said the youth ambassadors training will strengthen young people to understand conflict and would be able to promote peace and social cohesion.

On civic education, he said it can be broadly defined as the provision of information and learning experiences to equip and empower citizens to participate in democratic processes. He went on to state that civic education is an important and effective tool that facilitates the active participation of citizens in democratic  processes.

Issa Kamara, one of the facilitators dealt on the issue of rights of youth. He mentioned that according to the National Youth Policy document of 2007, a youth is any young person (male or female) within the age bracket of 15 and 35 years.

He said youths have certain rights and responsibilities as stated in the Youth Policy document.

The rights include the following: Right to life and proper growth and development as a person; Right to vote and participate in politics; Freedom of speech; Freedom of assembly and association; Protection against cruel and unusual / inhumane treatments; Right to be gainfully employed (if qualified).

He said youth have several rights but go with responsibilities such as abiding by the rules and regulations of their society, promoting peace, unity and stability of their communities or chiefdoms (serving as peace ambassadors or agents of peace and reconciliation) and contributing to the socio-economic development of their communities and the nation as a whole among others.

The facilitator explained that youth have roles in promoting community peace and social cohesion as sensitizing their peers on the importance of peace, unity and stability of their communities and the nation through various activities.

One of the sectional female youth leaders, Sia Sandy said the training is very important to youth, especially as elections draw nearer in two years time. She pointed out that most times young people are used by politicians for violence. They give drugs and other things to young people to perpetrate violence.

Chiefdom women’s leader, Haja Fatmata Yarjah cautioned participants to take the session serious, adding that violence erupted in the chiefdom due to problem in one of the sections that resulted in the burning down of houses. She said everyone wants peace and stability in the chiefdom.

Chiefdom youth leader, Peter Foyoh encouraged participants to always mingle with each other to help promote peace and social cohesion.

After the training ended, the new ambassadors promised to work with everyone when they return to their communities.