SALONE TOK HOPE!

Three kinds of hope were on offer on last night's Salone Tok Radio Tempo 94.7 Sierra Leone show - hope that people would finally be held accountable for corruption; Hope 4 Ebola Orphans bringing hope to vulnerable children and Hope Sakuma harnessing the power of innovative volunteerism to empower rural women in Sanda Magbolonto Chiefdom.

Ably and entertainingly hosted by Uncle Sankara Salone Tok was bookended by a lively discussion of the anti-corruption Commission of Inquiry with a good-natured interorgation of independant MP the honorable Musa Sama - it's clear from text messages and callers that citizens hope that the scourge of corruption will truely be rooted out and everyone past and present, with no time limitations and no exceptions, be held accountable.

Hope volunteer Mo Bangura gave listeners and the panel some background about Hope Foundation; how his mum, Mama Mayila, had been so moved by the plight of the many orphans of deadly Ebola she had set up the charity in 2015. Mo told us of some of the challenges in the 3 years since, particularly securing a regular income and how the sustainable farm came about when his father passed away. Mo talked about how Sierra Leone was the third most vulnerable country to climate change and explained how Hope Sakuma, our farming co-op, inspired by Dr Richard Munang and EBAFOSA (eco based adaptation for food security assembly) is harnessing the power of innovative volunteerism:

"We’re a rich country – rich in natural capital – our beautiful land and forests and coasts - and rich in human capital, our people, and it’s about making the best of both those things, sustainably. We need a change of mind-set to empower youth and women to take control of their own lives."

Bringing sons and daughters of the soil and diaspora together, utlizing everyone's different skills to empower rural women and youth to improve nutrition, food security and climate adapatation in Sanda Magbolonto Chiefdom.

Listeners learned from Sheku Bangura, manager of the Sanda Magbolonoto ABC (agricultural business centre) that Hope Sakuma has the largest cassava farm and boli land rice in the whole of Sanda - which was wonderful for us to discover - and explained that Hope Sakuma is the organization in Sanda that is doing most to involve and encourage women. Skeku told us:

"The women are always smiling. They like that they are treated equally, that women are invited to every meeting and can speak and be listened to."

National Coordinator William Tieh explained how the farm will provide food and income for Hope's interim care and kinship fostering programmes for vulnerable children. Williams reminisced about the time Mama Mayila and he visited Moa Wharf when 5 houses were under quarantine and the struggles that deprived community face every day since.

Tune in every Thursday for Salone Tok 7.30-10.30pm on Radio Tempo 94.7 Sierra Leone - http://www.radiotemposierraleone.com/

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