Sierra Leone News: Bollore Supports Schools for the Blind and Deaf

Bollore Transport and Logistics Company has on Wednesday splashed Le100 million worth of food and non food items to the schools for the blind and deaf located on Wilkinson Road in Freetown.

Country Manager of Bollore Transport and Logistics, Fabjanko Kokan called for more humanitarian support to address the plethora of problems facing the children at both schools.

Kokan stated that, he was informed by the school authorities through a committee at Bollore that the two schools are in poor shape with leaked roofs, no water and there also problems with food at both schools.

He said that, this prompted his company to help the two schools with three 5,000 litres of Milla tanks, over 40 bags of rice, zinc, other food items including chocolate and candies for the children in the two schools.

The country Manager has vigorously entreated other companies and humanitarian organizations in the country to emulate their good examples to respond to the needs of the children. He implored them not to turn a blind eye on the children.

“The children in these schools have long been neglected even though they are located in an area that is very accessible to everyone in Freetown,” the country manager said.

He noted that, he will see and speak for the children both at the Milton Margai School for the Blind and the National School for the Deaf since according to him they can’t see or hear.

Salieu Turay, headmaster of the Milton Margai School for the Blind, gave a profile of the School and the challenges confronting it over the years including inadequate subvention from government, water shortage and dilapidated facilities to name but a few.

He thanked Bollore Transport and Logistics for the gesture and implored them not to forget the school.

The Blind School, according to Mr.Turay, was founded in 1963, and since then it has produced several prominent Sierra Leoneans who are serving in nation building.

The School, he added, has a very strong foundation in discipline and Music, adding that the country’s National Pledge was composed by children at the School.

Sylvester Mew, head of School Management Committee, Milton Margai School for the Blind School, expressed his thanks and appreciation to the company for having the thought to support the less privileged in society.

This, he noted, resonates with the President Free Quality Education flagship project. He prayed to the Almighty God to protect and prosper the business of Bollore Transport and Logistics in the country.

Jonathan Conteh, regional coordinator, Disability Commission Sierra Leone who is also a proud product of the school, thanked Bollore Transport and Logistics Company for the donation both on behalf of Government and the Disability Commission in Sierra Leone.

He spoke briefly on the mandate of the Disability Commission and called for Bollore to be recognized by the Milton Margai School for the Blind as a key partner in working towards disability issues in Sierra Leone.

A representative from the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, Mr. Noah also thanked Bollore for the gesture.

He underscored the point that, the donation especially of water tanks to the school against the acute shortage will put to rest the many issues the children have with water to meet their basic needs.

He said that the other items donated by Bollore squarely fell within the immediate needs of the school.

Mbalu Bangura a class four pupil and also an orphan gave the vote of thanks on behalf of the children.A symbolic presentations of the items climaxed the occasion.

The situation was also the same at the National School for the Deaf where parents,pupils ,Board Members received the Bollore at their schools and thanked them for the donation.

It was clear that these two schools are in ruins and needs an immediate humanitarian help.The Government allocation to special needs schools including the two is largely inadequate to solve the numerous challenges of the school.