Fambul Tok International-SL with support from the African Transitional Justice Legacy Fund strengthens community structures to boost transitional justice in Moyamba district in southern Sierra Leone.
It facilitated the formation of Kongbora chiefdom Peace Mothers (PM) executive at the chiefdom headquarters town of Bauya on Wednesday 10th February 2021.
Present at the event were key sectional executive members drawn from all the ten sections in the chiefdom. Sectional executive representatives gave updates on their activities. The activities include agriculture (groundnut, cassava, cocoa farming), communal labor, revolving loan schemes and monthly contributions that have given groups substantial amount of money. Mobonor Peace Mothers group, for example has, Le 3,500,000 in its fund from monthly contributions.
Sadiatu Pessima, Moyamba district Peace Mothers coordinator, thanked the women for their relentless effort in trying to keep their various groups alive. She emphasized on the importance of the formation of the chiefdom Peace Mothers executive. She added that the chiefdom executive would monitor and supervise the activities of sectional groups, lobby and advocate for peace mothers in the chiefdom among other things. She encouraged the women to select executive members based on merits and not on sentiments. They should be people with good character, sense of justice, non-partisan, selfless and trusted by the communities.
Chiefdom speaker Solomon Kankaju in his statement expressed the importance of building the capacity of women in the chiefdom. He said women have a lot to offer in the peace and development of the Chiefdom and therefore should be supported. He admonished them to remain as a family and work in the interest of the group.
They unanimously elected the following people to the various positions.
1. Abie Deen- Chairlady
2. Mamie Lamina- Vice chairlady
3.Nancy George- Secretary
4.Rosaline Jusu- Treasurer
Newly appointed chairlady-Abie Deen thanked the women for the trust they placed in her to lead them in the chiefdom. She pledged her commitment and promised that the Chiefdom executive will work in the interest of all sections and will have their first rotational meeting at Senehun section on the 19th February 2021.
The Chiefdom headquarters town of Bauya seats on a former railway station. Kongbora chiefdom is saddled with a number of transitional justice issues including: unsettled land disputes between and among sections; leadership; early marriage and teenage pregnancy; youths are sidelined in Chiefdom activities; and lack of quality education, which eventually leads to massive failure in public exams.
