L'ASSOCIAZIONE
Associazione nata nel 1997, nel pieno della guerra con lo scopo di prendersi cura di bambini, amputati, orfani e abbandonati.
E’ nata dall’idea e dalla buona volontà di alcuni giovani della parrocchia Holy Cross che si sono presentati chiedendo a Don Maurizio Boa di aiutarli a realizzare questo loro progetto.
E le cose sono andate avanti.
Attualmente l’Associazione segue ed aiuta più di 150 bambini che vivono presso famiglie, le quali hanno accettato di prendersi cura di loro e vengono aiutate economicamente con le offerte ricevute tramite i sostegni a distanza.
L’Associazione sta portando avanti un progetto di microcredito per dare un futuro meno incerto ai giovani amputati che vivono nel campo profughi di Murray Town Camp.
Sempre a Murray Town Camp l’Associazione ha avviato una scuola per l’educazione degli adulti (l’80% degli adulti è analfabeta).
A Kissy è stato avviato un doposcuola per i bambini in difficoltà scolastica.
ASSOCIATION
The Missionaries Friends Association was born in the hands of few Catholics from Holy Cross Parish during the peak of the rebel war in Sierra Leone in 1991.
The Primary objective of the Association is to cater largely for war affected children concentrated in displaced camps in the Kissy community and its environs.
In keeping with the objectives of the St. Josephs Fathers to look after needy, abandoned and orphans, especially children and youths alike Rev. Fr. Maurizio Boa being a member of the Saint Joseph’s Congregation did everything he could to help these less fortunate children.
On the 31st December 1997 His Grace Arch Bishop Joseph Ganda officially launched the Association. In order to effectively handle a broad spectrum of the Association’s activities it was necessary for the Association to be divided into two distinct bodies, the Executive Council and the General Assembly. This division necessitated the increase in membership. On the 5th December 1999, elections were held, in which five (5) persons were voted into the executive council by the General Assembly to oversee the activities of the Association for a period of three (3) years.
Members of the General Assembly were chosen from amongst guardians of the children the Association is helping. Their responsibility an Assembly is to discuss and make recommendations on issues forwarded to them by the Executive Council. In compliance with their task, they meet twice every year. Membership to the General Assembly is not fixed. Unlike the General Assembly, the Executive Council meets once every month.
The Association since its inauguration in 1997 has steadily moved forward despite economic difficulties in providing assistance for well over hundred and fifty (150) needy, abandoned, orphan and amputee children in the Kissy community and Murray town camp.
Every month, the sum of thirty five thousand Leones (35.000) is given to the guardian of each child. This amount is meant to cushion the economic constraints in their respective homes. The amount given each month to guardians does not include medical cost, as this is solely the primary responsibility of the Association. In order to ensure the workings of this facility the Association contracted a clinic within their operational area where these children are referred to for medical treatment.
To assure the children of decent education, a school fees mechanism was put in place to enable the Association pay fees for them each year. In supportive of this scheme, trained, and qualified teachers were contracted to assist children whom the Association know are not doing well in their respective schools.
In addition to the above, micro-credit scheme was established to assist young amputees both male and female in the Murray town camp. Thirty- nine (39) of them benefited from the said scheme.
Looking at the appalling living condition of the amputees in the Murray town camp, frantic efforts were made by the Association to provide them with rice, buckets, cups, mattresses, pillows, bedspreads and buckets.
Adult education program was also established in order to help them read and write. Food for this category of people is provided on a daily basis.
To house few of the children whose condition the Association saw as precarious, a house was built and officially opened on the 8th December 2001. Gracing the occasion were the Chief Social Development Officer and her team of advisers, representative from UNICEF and other important personalities within and outside the community.
