Fambul Tok staff working on the People’s planning Process (PPP) in Soa Chiefdom, Kono District completed Community Welfare and Mediation Committee (CWMCs) training session with village
Overview of CWMC Training
representatives and sectional stakeholders in Soa chiefdom. The purpose of the trainings is to equip local community members on community owned and led peace building and inclusive development approach through the Wan Fambul PPP approach. Nine trainings were held for 9 CWMCs in 9 sections in Soa Chiefdom (Sawabuma, Sawafiama, Tensedakor, Tensekor, Mongor, Maindu, Mofinkor, Lower Kookongorkuma and Upper Kookongorkuma sections).
The trainings are part of the UNDP project: “Strengthening Human Security in the Remote Chiefdoms of Gbense, Soa, and Kamara in Kono District of Sierra Leone” implemented by Fambul Tok and FAO Sierra Leone.
Section chief Abdulai Johnny of Morfinkor presenting his welcome address thanked his people for their massive turn-out and encouraged them to feel free to discuss any issue they feel is a barrier to development in the section, even if it’s related to poor leadership on the side of the chiefs. To Fambul Tok, he said its presence in his section is very timely and highly welcomed. He revealed that Morfinkor is the highest producing section of plantains in Soa Chiefdom, but the most underdeveloped due to lack of peace. He urged his people to embrace Fambul Tok so that peace can prevail for development to proceed.
CWMC Training: Fambul Tok Values
Dr. Ruben Lewis delivered a short speech to the participants and explained why Soa is the only Chiefdom selected for the PPP initiative in Kono District for now. He encouraged participants to submit their various communities’ development priorities/needs and strategies to address them. Dr Ruben said lead trainer Emmanuel Mansaray will review and submit the plans to head office for appropriate actions at the end of the training.
Fambul Tok staff facilitate discussions on peace building topics such as mediation, reconciliation, communication, transparency, accountability, leadership, the Dos and Don’ts and, the core values of Fambul Tok
Group work were done on crises prevention or control, identification of community lingering issues and ways of addressing them, and identification of community development priorities or needs and strengths and strategies to address them.
Fambul Tok staff facilitated discussions on the broken cup illustration. In these discussions, participan
CWMC Group Photo
ts discovered the relationships among peace, disputes/conflicts and development. The compared peace to a metaphorical a chair on which development sits.
The formation of CWMC executives climaxed the trainings. The newly elected CWMC executives were very excited for their new roles as community mediators and change agents for peace and sustainable development. The participants will go back to their communities and form Village Development Committees, identify community development needs and strategies for addressing them and report back to Fambul Tok through their newly formed CWMC person.
The senior section Chief of Soa Chiefdom in his farewell speech thanked the participants and encouraged them to make good use of the knowledge gained. He advised all to embrace peace and unity in their respective communities. He thanked Fambul Tok for selecting Soa Chiefdom among all the other chiefdom
