Ambassador Perry's Speeches

SSH Signing (18 Nov 08)

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
I want to welcome you and thank you all for coming today.

General William Ward, one of our famous Military leaders often says: “improve your foxhole.”  The United States is strongly committed to the development of Sierra Leone, and we believe that one of the best ways to help that happen is to empower communities with the resources to improve their own living conditions.  In other words improve where you are at this time, in this place.

The Ambassador’s Special Self Help Fund allows us to respond to requests for assistance to support local community organizations that have a clearly identified need, but lack the resources to address it.  The communities joining us today are committed to improving their economic or social conditions, through education, agriculture, health, or sanitation projects.
                                                          … The Ambassador’s Self Help Fund

The Ambassador’s Self Help Fund is a reaffirmation of the American concern for progress in African communities.  It promotes development at the local, grassroots level, which we believe is one of the most effective ways.  For that reason, the Self Help Fund requires communities to contribute to every project, taking ownership by committing labor and other locally available resources.  Through these projects, we hope you will learn to work together to achieve a common goal.

Today I have the pleasure to award grants to eight deserving communities. The projects are diverse, including schools, farms, water facilities, and income-generating activities.  They vary geographically, from nearby Western Area localities to the far reaches of Eastern Sierra Leone.

All together, the Self Help Fund is granting over 200 million Leones this year, and we look forward to working with these communities along the way to ensure they maximize the positive impacts of the grants.  I wish you all great success on the completion of these projects.
                                                          … As an American Ambassador,

As an American Ambassador, I am privileged to be able to contribute to community empowerment in many ways.  Today, we come together to honor you, the communities of Sierra Leone who have stepped up to say “we want to improve our foxholes.” 

Thank you.