2005 Press Releases

US Ambassador Promotes Fight Against Gender-Based Violence

 

December 12, 2005

Freetown                                                               
Contact:PAO

Tel:226481 

December 8, 2005…US Ambassador Thomas Neil Hull continued his trip in the East this week with his first visit to Koindu.  He held discussions with Acting Paramount Chief Edward Foyoh, District Councilors and the Ward Committee about their experiences and concerns with decentralization.  He later visited the community projects supported by the US Government.  One site visited was the Koindu market, which was rehabilitated through funds from USAID. The city was mostly destroyed in the conflict and now people are reconstructing their lives.
 
The Highlight of his visit was the visit to the Women's Center “Na Wi Pot”, which is a consortium of NGOs working on various aspects of development.  With USAID funding, International Rescue Committee (IRC), Search for Common Ground and Center for Victims of Torture all contribute their programs "in the pot" to rebuild the community.  IRC responds to gender-based violence (GBV) by supporting survivors of GBV, training local partner agencies to respond to and prevent GBV; Center for Victims of Torture provides trauma counseling to adults and children who still suffer from war-related trauma; and Search for Common Grounds manages the local radio station, Radio MOA, which broadcasts a number of different programs regarding local issues in several local languages in the Kailahun and border regions.
 
This women's center provides a place for women to talk and ease their minds and start to heal from what they endured during the conflict.  The center sends a message that it is safe for women to come home.  There are also sensitization programs on Trafficking in Persons issues.