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Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Leads Peacebuilding and Fact-Finding Mission to Moriba TownFreetown, September 3, 20...
04/09/2026

Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Leads Peacebuilding and Fact-Finding Mission to Moriba Town

Freetown, September 3, 2026 (SLENA)- The Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. David Fortune led a stakeholder engagement and fact-finding mission Moriba Town, Imperi Chiefdom, Bonthe District, following death community member Mr Abdulai Sesay during police operation 29 August 2026.

The mission conducted on Tuesday, 1 September 2026, brought Ministry Internal Affairs, Sierra Leone Police, Office National Security, traditional authorities, community leaders, youth representatives, other stakeholders together.

Engagement held Moriba Town Court Barrie aimed calming tensions, promoting peace dialogue, providing community members opportunity raising concerns surrounding Mr Sesay's death circumstances.

Community members and youth representatives raised several allegations concerning the circumstances of the deaths. One youth representative allegedthat two police personnel,el identified names or aliases "Gbaki" and "Sparta" involved pursuing and mistreating deceased.
A woman identifying herself as Mr Sesay's sister raised concerns, ns alleging possible video evidence related to the incident. Matter referred to he ropriate investigative authorities for verification.

Addressing the gathering, Deputy Minister Fortune urged community members, particularly youth, to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands. He emphasised rule law importance, encouraging residents using established institutions including Sierra Leone Police, Office National Security, relevant local authorities reporting grievances security concerns.

Deputy Minister cautioned young people against drug abuse, drug peddling, other unlawful activities, highlighting Kush and other illicit drugs destructive effects young people and communities. He called for peaceful cooperation between the community and security personnel, stressing that dialogue and lawful processes remain essential for resolving disputes and maintaining peace.

Regional Police Commander South AIG Joseph Ibrahim Lahai expressed condolencto the es bereaved family, reaffirming Sierra Leone Police responsibility protecting lives property. AIG Lahai assured cthe ommunity Mthat r Sesay's death circumstances twill be horoughly impartially investigated, appropriate action taken if wrongdoing established.

He announced the immediate withdrawal of a l police officer identified as "LA" from Moriba Town Police Station following professional misconduct allegations. Other engagement-raised allegations would face appropriate investigation.

Regional CID Coordinator South Superintendent Bangura appealed to community members with relevant information to cooperate with investigators. Residents encouraged providing eyewitness accounts, video footage, photographs, other evidence assisting establishing incident facts.

Engagement provided opportunity stakeholders raising wider Moriba Town Imperi Chiefdom concerns: youth unemployment, limited livelihood opportunities, agricultural land access, mining opportunities, Sierra Rutile Limited operational changes potential employment economic activity impacts.

Stakeholders highlighted limited police manpower, inadequate operational vehicles and motorbikes, and poor road infrastructure continuing to affect effective security operations and emergency response across Bonthe District parts.

Youth representative requested Local Policing Partnership Board Rutile Division participation in the investigative process, citing transparency, accountability, and confidence-building needs.

Stakeholder engagement ended peacefully, Deputy Minister delegation members urging community members maintaining calm, cooperating investigators, allowing due process course.

Ministry Internal Affairs emphasised continued Government, security sector, traditional authorities, community stakeholders engagement necessity sustaining peace, strengthening public confidence, addressing emerging security socio-economic concerns Moriba Town wider Imperi Chiefdom.

Intervention underscores Government commitment peacebuilding, accountability, justice, dialogue, lives property protection while ensuring incident-derived allegations addressed through credible lawful investigative processes.

Correspondence-Mabinty Koroma
Email: [email protected]
Tel:+2378078417

MoPED, Stakeholders Push for Stronger MSME Formalisation and Financial InclusionFreetown, January 3, 2026. (SLENA)-The M...
04/09/2026

MoPED, Stakeholders Push for Stronger MSME Formalisation and Financial Inclusion

Freetown, January 3, 2026. (SLENA)-The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) has called for stronger coordination among key institutions to address challenges affecting the formalisation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and expand access to finance in Sierra Leone.

The call was made on Thursday, 3 September 2026, during a technical meeting of the Sierra Leone Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) Committee at MoPED, where the Center for Africa Financial Inclusion and Advancement (CAFIA) presented findings on MSME development, financial inclusion and productive participation.

CAFIA’s survey, conducted across 33 busy commercial streets, covered shop owners, kiosk operators and table-top businesses. The findings showed significant gaps in access to formal finance: 66 percent of shop owners had approached banks for loans, while none of the table-top operators surveyed had. While 87.5 percent of businesses had some form of registration, 77.4 percent were registered with municipal authorities and 30.9 percent with the National Revenue Authority (NRA).

Discussions highlighted challenges arising from businesses being registered locally but not nationally. NIB Chief Investment Officer Leonard Moseray noted that businesses seeking national registration can face difficulties when another entity has registered names already used locally. He also disclosed ongoing efforts with the NRA to establish a data-sharing Memorandum of Understanding to improve business information management and formalisation.

NRA representative Mohamed Alie Bah stressed the importance of CAFIA’s survey data as third-party information to support efforts to broaden the tax base. He noted that while the NRA can register individuals for tax purposes and issue Taxpayer Identification Numbers, formal business registration falls under the mandate of the National Investment Board (NIB), underscoring the need for stronger institutional coordination.

Dr. Sheka Bangura called for the issue to be addressed through the existing Youth Employment and Private Sector Working Group, while Bank of Sierra Leone representative Arthur O.B. Anthony highlighted the importance of MSME financing within the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion and the potential for stronger partnerships to advance financial inclusion.

The meeting, chaired by Deputy Development Secretary Mr. Usman Cherry Conteh, brought together representatives from NIB, BSL, UNDP, NRA, SMEDA, DACO and other relevant stakeholders.

It recommended that MSME formalisation be tabled at the next Youth Employment and Private Sector Working Group meeting, followed by a broader stakeholder engagement to further examine the findings and identify practical solutions. Participants also called for stronger engagement with regulatory institutions to improve data sharing and support the formalisation of MSMEs.

Senior Correspondent: Francess Fatmata Baio
Tel:+23279331713
Email: [email protected]

Foreign Minister backs Prof. Jalloh's World Court bidFreetown, September 2, 2026 (SLENA)-Foreign Minister Mohamed Rahman...
03/09/2026

Foreign Minister backs Prof. Jalloh's World Court bid

Freetown, September 2, 2026 (SLENA)-Foreign Minister Mohamed Rahman Swaray has championed Professor Charles Chernor Jalloh's World Court candidacy, West Africa's Miami-based nominee whose endorsements span ECOWAS, the African Union and 13 co-nominating states. UN member states vote in November 2026, filling the Court's 2027–2036 term.

Mr Swaray made the case at a one-day symposium in Freetown convened by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Centre for International Law and Policy in Africa (CILPA) and SILPA, addressing diplomats, government officials and civil society representatives. He paid tribute to President Julius Maada Bio and his predecessor for turning the nomination into a regional and continental rallying point. "It is both an honour and a privilege to present the candidate of our region," he said, noting that ECOWAS has endorsed Prof Jalloh as West Africa's standard-bearer, the African Union has offered its backing, and national groups spanning all five UN regional groups have pledged their trust.

The Minister built his case on four pillars. Prof Jalloh's legal formation joins a journalism background, civil and common law degrees from McGill University's pioneering trans-systemic programme, postgraduate study in international human rights law at Oxford completed with distinction, a doctorate in international law from the University of Amsterdam and membership of the Ontario Bar. He holds the Richard A. Hausler Chair as Professor of International Law at the University of Miami.

His scholarship and practice span Canada's Department of Justice, the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, alongside advisory work for African states and institutions and ten years on the UN International Law Commission, where he chaired the Drafting Committee and the Working Group on Methods while serving as General Rapporteur and Second Vice-Chair. Born in Sierra Leone and educated across Africa, Europe and the Americas, he now widens opportunities for African scholars through CILPA.

"The election ultimately rests with UN member states exercising independent votes in the General Assembly and Security Council," Mr Swaray concluded. "Our nominee possesses the character, competence, breadth of training and depth of practical experience the Court's Statute contemplates."

Attorney General and Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay delivered the keynote address on behalf of Vice-President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, who was kept away by pressing last-minute matters. Mr Sesay pointed to deepening geopolitical divisions, multiplying conflicts and tested confidence in multilateral institutions, warning that small states depend heavily on strict rules, credible institutions and solidarity.

He stressed Africa's stake in a robust Court, recalling that at least 37 contentious African cases have reached it, from the Burkina Faso–Mali frontier dispute and the Libya Chad Aouzou Strip ruling to Cameroon's Bakassi judgment against Nigeria, recent maritime delimitation cases involving Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, and proceedings between Somalia and Kenya. West Africa helped pioneer that engagement, with Liberia leading the way alongside Nigeria, Benin, Niger and The Gambia.

Turning to representation, Mr Sesay noted that three Africans sit among the Court's 15 judges, two from East Africa and one from Southern Africa, succeeding a North African jurist, leaving West Africa's 19 countries and roughly 400 million people without a seat. "Excellence and equitable representation can and should coexist," he asserted, drawing a parallel with Security Council reform championed by President Bio through the African Union's Committee of Ten and with Sierra Leone's historic August 2024 Council presidency debate on Africa's effective representation.

He traced Sierra Leone's earned standing the Special Court established with UN help after the civil war, service on the Security Council in 2024-2025 and direct participation in climate change advisory proceedings before the Court and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea presenting Prof Jalloh as one of Africa's most accomplished international legal scholars and practitioners and appealing for African solidarity and mutual support among small states.

Prof Jalloh thanked President Bio, the government, his national group, ECOWAS states, the African Union and 12 additional co-nominating states, along with the foreign minister, attorney general, information minister and ministry staff. His address rested on four themes: the Court's Charter foundation, consent and jurisdiction, Africa's contribution to adjudication, and the qualities sustaining a universal court. The Court, he noted, is working through the busiest docket in its history, with record provisional measures, preliminary objections and third-party interventions testing its capacity to decide swiftly without sacrificing quality.

African states have repeatedly chosen legal pathways on territory and sovereignty, he said, and participation now extends to genocide allegations and human rights questions, citing The Gambia's case against Myanmar and South Africa's invocation of the Genocide Convention.
His message to small states: international law works as an equalizer only when states use it, and the Court's authority rests on the quality of the 15 individuals elected, not on geopolitical weight. Integrity, independence and impartiality would guide his tenure should he earn the privilege of Court service, he pledged.

Ministry Director General Alan C.E. Logan opened the proceedings, calling the theme timely and consequential and recalling that Africa has consistently turned to dialogue, negotiation, mediation, arbitration and adjudication, enriching the Court's jurisprudence.

Information Minister Chernor Cee Bah closed with three points: peaceful settlement matters most when the international system strains; Sierra Leone exerts influence independent of size making its climate voice heard before the Law of the Sea Tribunal and the Court, serving the Security Council with distinction and, this week, having the First Lady present a UN General Assembly resolution dedicating an international day to ending child marriage; and representation must match excellence. He recalled the candidate's roots at DEC Primary School and Secondary School in Kabala, and his home in Dogulia, Falaba district, as proof of a life anchored in Africa yet respected internationally.

Sierra Leone's nomination seeks a West African seat on the International Court of Justice. Voting opens on 3 November 2026 in New York.

Senior Correspondent-Amara Kargbo
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Email: [email protected]

Sierra Leone Urges Local Mineral Processing, Job Creation at Africa Oil Week 2026ACCRA, Ghana- (SLENA)-Sierra Leone has ...
03/09/2026

Sierra Leone Urges Local Mineral Processing, Job Creation at Africa Oil Week 2026

ACCRA, Ghana- (SLENA)-Sierra Leone has called for greater value addition to Africa's natural resources during ongoing Africa Oil Week (AOW) 2026 proceedings in Ghana's capital.

Deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources Hon. Umaru Napoleon Koroma leads the delegation alongside Director of Policy and Research John D. Cooper, engaging policymakers, investors and industry stakeholders under the conference theme "Investing in Africa's Natural Resources."

Addressing attendees, Hon. Koroma stressed that African countries must move beyond exporting raw minerals toward local processing that creates jobs, supports industries and increases community benefits. He also urged stronger inter-African cooperation to develop regional value chains and attract natural resources investment.

Sierra Leone's participation underscores a continued push for local processing, employment generation and enhanced resource benefits.

Senior Correspondent-Ramdul Sappah Kargbo
Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources

Karefa Kargbo Assumes Finance Portfolio, Pledges Fiscal Reform ContinuityFreetown, September 3, 2026(SLENA)-The Ministry...
03/09/2026

Karefa Kargbo Assumes Finance Portfolio, Pledges Fiscal Reform Continuity

Freetown, September 3, 2026(SLENA)-The Ministry of Finance officially welcomed new leadership Thursday as Karefa A.F. Kargbo took the oath as Minister, succeeding Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura in a formal George Street handover ceremony following President Julius Maada Bio's cabinet appointment.

The ceremony concluded with a gift presentation recognising Bangura's service contribution. Heads and representatives from MoPED, NRA, FIA, and AGD attended, underscoring the transition's significance for Sierra Leone's fiscal and economic governance framework.

Minister Kargbo expressed gratitude for the appointment and commended the predecessor's stewardship. He pledged to sustain gains achieved while strengthening fiscal performance, citing the supplementary budget as an ongoing improvement effort. Kargbo promised an open-door policy and close MDA collaboration, ensuring timely government target delivery and reform implementation.

Bangura reflected on three years of service, describing honour to serve the nation. He thanked President Bio for the trust reposed and acknowledged collective staff efforts, MDAs, and development partners navigating economic challenges while implementing reforms restoring macroeconomic stability. Bangura assured his successor of continued support, noting Ministry docuthe Ministry'srogress since 2023, covering economic position and institutional commitments.

Principal Deputy Financial Secretary Samuel E.B. Momoh, serving as Acting Financial Secretary, described the occasion as a significant leadership milestone. He commended Bangura for steering the economy through a difficult period while advancing fiscal reforms, emphasising that government remains a continuum. Momoh welcomed Kargbo, highlighting extensive public finance experience and expressing confidence in strengthening Ministry operations.

Minister of Planning and Economic Development Kenyeh Barlay lauded Bangura's service and welcomed Kargbo, expressing optimism about continued inter-ministerial cooperation. Senior Deputy Financial Secretary Mariatu Brown extended a welcome, while Deputy Minister of Finance II Isata Marah delivered closing courtesies.

©️MoF Communications

Sierra Leone Correctional Service outlines major reforms on inmate welfare, rehabilitation and reintegrationFreetown, Se...
03/09/2026

Sierra Leone Correctional Service outlines major reforms on inmate welfare, rehabilitation and reintegration

Freetown, September 1, 2026 (SLENA)- Joseph J. Senessie, Sierra Leone Correctional Service Director General, announced comprehensive reforms strengthening inmate welfare, rehabilitation, human rights and reintegration.

Speaking at the Weekly Government Press Conference, Miatta Civic Centre, Youyi Building, Freetown, Senessie recalled the institution's transformation from a prison service to a correctional service in 2014.

"Our transformation was guided by three key principles: reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration," Senessie said.

He disclosed that the Service currently holds 2,060 inmates and works with the Judiciary to improve access to justice and reduce overcrowding through case reviews.

The Director General emphasised skills training and education, helping inmates acquire knowledge and practical skills for return to society.

"Our overall objective is to ensure that inmates are treated with dignity, rehabilitated and eventually reintegrated into society as peaceful, useful and productive citizens," he added.

Senessie highlighted commitments to human rights, accountability, gender equality and inmate welfare, noting that the Human Rights Commission, Prison Watch and parliamentary oversight bodies monitor correctional facilities.

The Service employs 130 senior male officers and 49 senior female officers, he said, stressing the importance of women's participation at senior decision-making levels.

Partnerships with educational institutions and development partners now provide learning opportunities for inmates, while preparations for digitalisation are under way, supported by a local consultant.

About the Sierra Leone Correctional Service

The Sierra Leone Correctional Service is the state institution responsible for the custody, reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders nationwide. Transformed from a prison service to a correctional service in 2014, it currently holds 2,060 inmates and works with the Judiciary, educational institutions and development partners to improve access to justice, reduce overcrowding and modernise the institution.

Correspondent: Kadijatu Kabba
Tel: +23280072625
Email: [email protected]

MoGCA Consults on Child-Friendly Child Rights Act 2025Freetown, August 31, 2026 (SLENA)-The Ministry of Gender and Child...
03/09/2026

MoGCA Consults on Child-Friendly Child Rights Act 2025

Freetown, August 31, 2026 (SLENA)-The Ministry of Gender and Children's Affairs (MoGCA) has engaged child protection partners on developing a child-friendly version of the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2025.

The inception consultative meeting convened at the Ministry's headquarters in Freetown on 31 August 2026, drawing representatives from UNICEF, the National Commission for Children (NCC), the Children's Forum Network (CFN), the Youth and Child Advocacy Network (YACAN) and other child protection stakeholders.

Opening the session, Daniel Albert Gbow, Acting Director of Children's Affairs, welcomed participants and underscored the consultation's strategic importance. He said the primary objective was to simplify the Act's provisions into language children can readily comprehend, without diluting the legislation's substance and intent.

Mr Gbow noted that the consultation would enable stakeholders to review the draft critically, identify provisions requiring further simplification and submit recommendations ahead of the validation stage.

Presenting the proposed version, Hassan Fuad Kanu, Director of YACAN, outlined its approach to converting complex legal provisions into plain language and child-friendly illustrations. Mr Kanu explained that the draft pairs pictorial representations with simplified texts drawn from the Act, ensuring accessibility for children across varying literacy and comprehension levels.

The handbook covers fundamental rights and protections, including protection, family care, education, culture, social opportunities and the right to express views. It further addresses children's rights to a name and identity, to family upbringing and to protection from violence, sexual exploitation, child trafficking, harmful child labour and online abuse.

Mr Kanu confirmed that MoGCA developed the child-friendly version with support from UNICEF and other partners, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing children's rights and implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Ministry and partner representatives subsequently offered technical contributions to the draft. Participants scrutinised the document's language and terminology, proposing simpler vocabulary to help children understand legal concepts. They also assessed the symbols and pictorial illustrations to verify their accurate reflection of the Act's provisions and context.

Stakeholders emphasised that the final version must remain legally accurate, accessible, engaging and inclusive for children nationwide.

Closing the consultation, participants agreed to undertake further review of the draft and provide additional input ahead of subsequent consultations and eventual validation.

The initiative reaffirms MoGCA's commitment to strengthening child protection mechanisms and ensuring children receive clear information on their rights, responsibilities and legal protections under the Child Rights Act 2025.

Correspondent-Kelvin Mark Kargbo
MoGCA Communications Unit
Email [email protected]

MTHE Bids Farewell to 11 Students Departing for Studies in IndiaFreetown, September 1, 2026 (SLENA)-Eleven Sierra Leonea...
01/09/2026

MTHE Bids Farewell to 11 Students Departing for Studies in India

Freetown, September 1, 2026 (SLENA)-Eleven Sierra Leonean students commenced university studies on September 1, 2026, when the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE) hosted their farewell ceremony.

MTHE officials, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of the High Commission of India Neeraj Kumar Saini, students, parents, and guardians attended the ceremony at the Minister's Conference Room, Sababu Building, New England.

The programme follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding expanding educational opportunities for Sierra Leoneans in India, said Director of Higher Education Emmanuel J. Momoh, Esq. The initial arrangement provided for 50 students; 11 were selected for the current intake. MTHE negotiated a reduced study package costing approximately US$1,800, covering tuition, accommodation, feeding, and medical services.

"That arrangement was negotiated by the Ministry with NIST University," Momoh said. He commended His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio for investing in higher education and creating the enabling environment, through bilateral relationships with partners, for Sierra Leoneans to broaden their horizons. He likewise commended Hon. Minister Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie for her steadfastness and commitment to technical and higher education.

Momoh urged the 11 scholars to work hard, respect Indian laws and culture, and return home with skills that would contribute to Sierra Leone's development.

Saini congratulated the students and highlighted India's continued support for Sierra Leone's education sector. India provides 50 fully funded ICCR scholarships annually to Sierra Leoneans, plus 86 fully funded training opportunities for government officials and professionals, he disclosed. Saini also announced India's support for the construction of a US$32 million Science and Technology University in Kono, expected to create opportunities in engineering, mining, and other science and technology fields.

Acting Director of Research and Planning Idrissa Sannoh reiterated that the NIST programme is partially funded and does not include additional allowances or annual travel support. MTHE hopes to expand participation to between 100 and 150 students in the coming years, he said.

National Coordinator for NIST University in Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Sellu, confirmed that the 11 students had secured their visas following coordination among NIST, MTHE, and the Indian High Commission. Their fields of study include Cyber Security, Data Science, Pharmacology, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Business Administration.

"I will accompany the students to India and ensure their proper handover to the university," Sellu said.

Student representative Lahai David Gbatekaka Jah thanked MTHE and the Government of India, assuring them that the students would remain disciplined, focused, and committed to making Sierra Leone proud. Beneficiaries Fatima Bomporoh-Bangura and Samuel Santigie Turay also expressed gratitude, pledging to apply their new knowledge and skills toward national development.

Correspondent-Richard Williams
Ministry of Technical and Higher Education
Tel: +23203086143

UNFPA and Statistics Sierra Leone Conclude Orientation of Field Personnel for Rapid Census Awareness Perception SurveyBO...
01/09/2026

UNFPA and Statistics Sierra Leone Conclude Orientation of Field Personnel for Rapid Census Awareness Perception Survey

BO, Sierra Leone, September 1, 2026 (SLENA)-The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Statistics Sierra Leone concluded their field personnel orientation. Trained teams will undertake the nationwide Rapid Census Awareness Perception Survey.

The one-day session, held at Doha's Hotel in Bo, prepared field personnel to run the seven-day exercise. The survey assesses public awareness, confidence, knowledge and perceptions of the upcoming 2026 Population and Housing Census. Its findings will shape census communication and public engagement, and should surface information gaps, concerns and misconceptions.

"The survey is critical to the Census communication process," said Samuel Ansumana, Director of Communication and Public Relations at Statistics Sierra Leone. Results, he added, would reveal public awareness levels and inform targeted interventions ahead of the census. Mr Ansumana also conveyed the appreciation of Statistician General Andrew Bob Johnny nd Ststics Sierra Leone management to UNFPA for its continued partnership and support.

Baileh Molleh, UNFPA consultant on the project, introduced Survey123, the digital platform that will handle data collection. Field personnel will work only within their assigned enumeration areas, with adult members of selected households serving as respondents. Mr Molleh stressed informed consent, confidentiality and ,ethical conduct, urging teams not to discuss answers with neighbours or community members, to probe responses neutrally wherewhenification was requineeded to avoid teaching or correcting respondents, debating rumours or political views, or promising any benefits from participation.

Silleh Bah, Principal Statistician and GIS Specialist at Statistics Sierra Leone, outlined the sampling design: 200 enumeration areas purposively selected nationwide, supporting 2,000 scheduled interviews.

Dr Foluke Adebayor, UNFPA Cartographic Consultant working on the census, clarified the selection of enumeration areas, the sampling methodology and known issues with the Survey123 application. GIS mentor Ibrahim Kolapo will conduct hands-on technical sessions resolving these before deployment, she said, and urged the team to maintain high integrity throughout the survey.

The orientation closed with a full review of the questionnaire, taking participants through every question and the data collection procedures to guarantee consistency in the field.

The rapid survey will deliver timely evidence on public perceptions of the census, strengthening evidence-based communication and public engagement as Sierra Leone prepares for its 2026 Population and Housing Census.

Kingdom Gospel Mission Church Supports 104 Children in Hastings With School Materials for New Academic YearHastings, Sie...
31/08/2026

Kingdom Gospel Mission Church Supports 104 Children in Hastings With School Materials for New Academic Year

Hastings, Sierra Leone, August 2026 (SLENA)-The Kingdom Gospel Mission Church, also known as Transformation Assembly, has provided school bags, books, pens, pencils, and other stationery items to 104 children in Hastings ahead of the 2026/2027 academic year.

The initiative forms part of the church’s continuing support for vulnerable children and families within the community. Church leaders said the programme is intended to ease the burden on parents who struggle to provide essential learning materials for their children.

National Coordinator Pastor Idrissa Sannoh said the project was launched to support underprivileged children and help improve their chances of staying in school. He noted that the programme has been running for more than five years and is funded through contributions from members of the church.

Pastor Sannoh also said the church provides monthly support to needy families through donations of food, clothes, and shoes. He called on other churches and organisations to take similar steps to assist vulnerable children in their communities.

Assistant Pastor and parent Sidigue Musa described the support as timely and important for many families. He said the rising cost of school fees, feeding, healthcare, and educational materials continues to place pressure on parents, making such interventions valuable to children’s education and well-being.

He expressed hope that the church would expand its educational support in the future, including the possible establishment of schools and a university to widen access to learning opportunities.

Beneficiaries Joycelyn Sannoh and Edward Turay expressed appreciation for the support, saying the school bags, books, and stationery items would help them prepare well for school and remain focused on their studies.

Kingdom Gospel Mission Church said it remains committed to sustaining the initiative as part of its broader mission to support children and families in Hastings and surrounding communities.

Correspondent-Richard Williams
Ministry of Technical and Higher Education
Tel: +23203086143

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