Freetown, Sunday 19 February, 2023
The Communications and M&E Officers of Women Against Violence and Exploitation in Society (WAVES) Sierra Leone have raised the profile of their organization as representatives of the NGO Fest 2023 at Radisson Blu Garden in Freetown.
Alusine Rogers (Communications Officer) and Mohamed Christian Ngaujah (M&E Officer) made eloquent presentations of WAVES-SL before an assembly of high-profile members of NGOs, government agencies and businesses in Sierra Leone.
Making a presentation on the story, services and intervention strategies of WAVES, Alusine Rogers informed the organization was established in 2005 and operates in the rural and urban communities of Bo and Kenema in the southeastern part of Sierra Leone with its focus on women and girls. He further informed the goal of WAVES-SL is to achieve a lasting improvement in the quality of life of women and girls.
” _Our focus is to ensure a safe and enabling environment for women and children, especially girls; and we adopt a culturally friendly and community-led approach to achieve this vision”_ Mr. Rogers revealed.
Alusine Rogers disclosed WAVES-SL works to prevent women and girls from SGBV and FGM/C, promotes sexuality education for boys and girls, quality education and women in leadership/ governance among others.
He further disclosed the organization adopts strategies such as working with adolescent boys and girls, community education and women’s empowerment, awareness through the media, support to survivors and those at risk and advocacy and lobbying in order to achieve its objectives.
The M&E Officer of WAVES-SL, Mohamed Christian Ngaujia, shared the organization’s impacts and key achievements. He said one of the key achievements of WAVES-SL is leading a high level Advocacy that led to the overturn of the ban that prevented pregnant school girls from attending school and sitting for their examinations.
He added, through the activities of WAVES-SL, there has been an increase awareness on the negative effects of FGM on the wellbeing, education and socio-economic life of women and girls.
Mr. Ngaujah also informed, parents and caregivers are now taking action to support the schooling of their children especially girls.
“The adolescents girls,” he went on, “are now performing tremendously at their internal and external examinations.”
It could be noted that the presentations by the representatives of WAVES-SL received standing ovations and led to most organizations to enquire from the two gentlemen more about the activities of their organization.
The people requested for the social media details, brochure and website of WAVES-SL.
Country Director of One Village Partner organization, based in Kailahun, Eastern Sierra Leone, Chad McCordic spoke to the representatives of WAVES-SL after the presentation. He said he was delighted to learn about the work and intervention strategies of WAVES-SL. He noted his organization and WAVES-SL have some commonality in what they do and expressed hope for future partnership.
The Chief Executive Officer, African NGO Council, Peter A. Sellu and converner of the event, said NGO Fest is part of the NGO Week, which is organised by the African NGO Council in partnership with the NGO Directorate of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), the Sierra Leone Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (SLANGO), and NGO Consulting (SL) Ltd. to commemorate World NGO Day 2023 in Sierra Leone.
He said, the goal is to enhance NGOs’ contribution to national development and create a national platform to bring together donors, strategic partners, various UN and government agencies and businesses for them to interact, network and showcase their activities, products and services.
“This is the inaugural ceremony of the event. I therefore encourage you to interact and network thereby establishing partnership with like-minded organizations to achieve institutional, community, national and international development goals“. Mr. Sellu noted
